For the EU, the Ball is in Iran's Court

Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal, Ha'aretz:

The comments made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on October 26, calling for Israel to be wiped off the map, were encountered in the European Union (EU) by a wave of shock, protest and condemnation. The EUs heads of state and government, meeting the following day in the U.K., responded by stating, among other things, that such comments will cause concern about Iran's role in the region, and its future intentions. They added that the fact that these comments were made on the same day as a horrific attack on Israeli civilians in Hadera should reinforce the lesson that incitement to violence, and the terrorism it breeds, are totally unacceptable.

Speaking to the European Parliament on November 16, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that when such comments, "are made in the current delicate climate, by the president of the country himself, in connection with a conference entitled, 'The World Without Zionism' it is time to draw a line and to remind the Iranian president of the responsibilities that come with being a member of the family of nations." READ MORE

Indeed, Iran's resumption of uranium conversion activity at its facility in Esfahan is of deep concern to the EU. This action is contrary to successive resolutions made by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is in violation of the Paris Agreement, reached between Iran and the EU in November 2004. The IAEA's Board of Governors passed resolutions on the issue on August 11 and September 24 requiring Iran to take specific measures.

The EU has urged Iran to implement all measures requested by the IAEA board, including a full suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities and a return to talks on the basis of the Paris Agreement. The EU remains committed to finding a diplomatic solution to international concerns over Iran's nuclear program in order to ensure Iran will remain a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapons state that fully respects all its obligations under the treaty.

On November 7 the EU reviewed its overall approach to Iran, underlining the long-standing importance it attaches to sustainable political and economic reform in Iran. In this regard, it underlined the importance of what is called the Comprehensive EU-Iran Dialogue as an appropriate framework for discussing areas of mutual interest and concern.

These include areas such as counter-narcotics, where cooperation remains, but also areas of long-standing concern to the EU: terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Iran?s approach to the Middle East peace process, human rights and fundamental freedoms and regional issues. Recent developments in these areas have been negative. The EU remains ready to pursue its Comprehensive Dialogue with Iran, which would allow for discussion of areas of interest and concern but it is clear the ball is now in Iran's court and that it is up to Iran to respond constructively to the EU?s readiness for dialogue.

The EU remains deeply concerned at the violation of human rights in Iran, and has urged Iran to adopt reforms that would strengthen respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. Despite repeated EU requests, Iran has not yet agreed to a further session of the EU-Iran Human Rights Dialogue, which was last held in June 2004. EU member states therefore cosponsored the resolution of November 18 on the human rights situation in Iran at the United Nations General Assembly. The EU continues to raise the sustained erosion of freedom of expression in Iran and other specific human rights cases with the Iranian authorities, continues to press Iran to agree on dates for the Comprehensive and Human Rights Dialogues and continues to raise its human rights concerns through other means.

From the EU's viewpoint, it is now up to Iran to determine, through its actions, whether its long term relationship with the EU will improve or deteriorate. The EU will keep its approach to Iran under close review in light of progress on the nuclear file and other issues of concern.

Clearly, for the residents of Israel, the nuclear issue is of paramount importance. Uranium enrichment has proven to be a very effective way to illegally develop nuclear weapons programs. There is no doubt in the minds of EU leaders that an Iran with nuclear weapon capabilities would represent a major destabilizing factor for the broader Middle East. This region is of strategic importance not only for the EU but for the entire international community. This is why the EU will invest every effort in preventing such a development and will be ready to exhaust all the diplomatic avenues. But if at the end of the day the EU reaches the conclusion that the current diplomatic efforts have failed, it will then be prepared in the IAEA Board of Governors - which, under the NPT is the competent body - to report to the UN Security Council about Iran's non-compliance of its obligations under the NPT with a view to the eventual imposition by the United Nations Security Council of international sanctions against Iran.

The writer is the head of the EU Commission Delegation to Israel.