The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board of governors was discussing a report from IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei which says Iran has not halted uranium enrichment, the process which makes nuclear reactor fuel but also atom bomb material.

The report also includes a timetable which the IAEA agreed in August with Iran for Tehran to answer questions about its nuclear work that remain unresolved in an agency investigation which began in February 2003.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is a peaceful drive to generate electricity but the United States charges that Tehran is using it to hide work on developing atomic weapons.

ElBaradei was back in the boardroom on Wednesday morning after walking out on Tuesday afternoon in protest over an EU speech which did not fully support his deal for new inspections, diplomats told AFP.

"He walked out because the EU did not support the Secretariat," said a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity about the closed-door session.

But a senior European diplomat said the European Union supported ElBaradei and had only reiterated the IAEA chief's view that the timetable needed "Iran's full and active cooperation."

Other diplomats said the muted tone of the EU speech, which did not praise ElBaradei for achieving the timetable agreement, was due to France wanting a harder line to be taken against Iran.

IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming declined to comment but several diplomats confirmed that ElBaradei had walked out in protest.

ElBaradei has been under pressure as the United States and other Western countries warn that the new timetable gives the Islamic republic room to delay new UN sanctions.

They also warn that it gives Iran time to continue improving its work on enriching uranium.

The United States and ElBaradei had nevertheless closed ranks on the first day here Monday of a regular meeting of the IAEA board in urging Iran to stick to the timetable and do more to demonstrate that is not seeking the bomb, for example by suspending uranium enrichment.

At issue is how to win guarantees that Iran's nuclear work is peaceful, with US patience wearing thin as it presses for more UN sanctions but ElBaradei urging more inspections that could lead to talks on ending the crisis.

The EU speech was given by Portuguese ambassador Joaquim Duarte, whose country currently holds the EU presidency.

Duarte hammered Iran for failing to suspend uranium enrichment "contrary to the decisions of the (UN) Security Council," referring to three UN Security Council resolutions and two rounds of UN sanctions.

He said that since ElBaradei's last report in May "Iran has further increased its enrichment capacities."

The speech only mentioned briefly the timetable which the IAEA worked hard to get and did not give it the diplomatic backing ElBaradei had expected.

The speech focused on Iran's lack of cooperation, including its refusal to provide early design information on new nuclear facilities, and called repeatedly on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment.

Just before the Portuguese speech, ElBaradei had receiving a rousing statement of support from the Non-Aligned Movement, in a speech by Cuban ambassador Norma Miguelina Goicochea Estenoz as NAM leader.

She said "NAM shares the view that this work plan (timetable) is a 'significant step forward'" and "reiterates its full confidence in the impartiality and professionalism of the Secretariat of the IAEA and its Director General, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei."

A diplomat said ElBaradei had expected the same personal tone of appreciation in the EU speech and took the lack of it as a rebuff to his sustained diplomatic efforts.

Related Links
Nuclear Power News - Nuclear Science, Nuclear Technology
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News