Support by Russia & China of IAEA resolution-"mistaken step"-Iran.

1/12 Tass 229

TEHRAN, December 1 (Itar-Tass) - The support by Russia and China of
the resolution of the IAEA Board of Governors on Iran was "a mistaken
step, taken under political pressure", said on Tuesday spokesman of the
Iranian Foreign Ministry Ramin Mehmanparast, speaking at the weekly
briefing in Tehran.
Nevertheless, he assured that "although the voting by the RF and China
on this resolution provoked Iran's discontent, it will not entail any
changes in relations between the Islamic Republic and those countries".
Mehmanparast reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
sent a message to 35 member countries of the IAEA Board of Governors. The
minister thanked Malaysia, Cuba and Venezuela for their refusal to back
the anti-Iranian resolution.
Mottaki explained again Iran's position in his message to Council
members who abstained from voting and expressed hope that in future they
would vote against such documents. He "expressed resolute protest to those
who helped to adopt the resolution and pointed to the fallacy of their
actions", the diplomat explained.
Last Friday, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution,
denouncing Iran for construction of a uranium-enrichment factory near the
city of Kum and demanding dumping the project immediately. Council members
called on Tehran to ensure implementation of appropriate resolutions of
the UN Security Council as well as transparency to restore confidence in
an entirely peaceful edge of the Iranian nuclear programme. The resolution
was backed by 25 out of 35 Council members, three voted against with the
rest abstaining.
Tehran responded very negatively to the resolution, saying that it
intends to cut to the minimum cooperation with the IAEA.
-0-bur/gor