Today's Date:

IRAN

THE MINISTER – By resuming their enrichment-related activities, the Iranian authorities have closed the negotiating period opened with the E3/EU in 2003. In these circumstances, we deemed it necessary to act firmly, rapidly and unitedly. Rapidly, first of all, by calling a meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 2 February, and rapidly too by asking it to report the matter to the United Nations Security Council. Today I welcome the fact that the permanent members of the Security Council, together with Germany, have unanimously chosen this path. So today I see an international community which, thanks to this meeting, is going to give a firm, unanimous message to the Iranian authorities who must understand that they have to suspend their sensitive nuclear activities as soon as possible.

THE MINISTER – This evening, after a long meeting, we can say that all the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, together with Germany, have decided to ask on 2 and 3 February the IAEA Board of Governors to report the matter to the United Nations Security Council. By resuming enrichment-related activities and in the wake of the reports and resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors finding that Iran was in non-compliance with her obligations, the international community has decided to react rapidly, firmly and above all unitedly. So all the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have decided to report the matter to the Security Council so that we can reinforce the Agency's authority at the highest political level.

THE MINISTER – We're pressing the Iranian authorities as soon as possible to suspend their sensitive nuclear activities, both the conversion activities in the Isfahan plant and the enrichment activities in the Natanz plant. Iran must see reason. The international community has decided to react firmly, rapidly and unitedly. Iran, this great people, this great nation, must understand that her leaders can't go on developing a secret nuclear programme in violation of her obligations and against the will of the international community. This evening's unanimity creates a new situation.

MIDDLE EAST/HAMAS

THE MINISTER – It's indeed bad news to see Hamas reacting like this to the conditions we've set and proposals we've made. At the same time, I have confidence in Mahmoud Abbas' ability rapidly to appoint a new Palestinian government which can work as fast as possible, and, above all, to ask Hamas to renounce violence and recognize the State of Israel and recognize the agreements signed between the PLO and Israel. Only if it does this will we be able to envisage the beginning of a political process, of a dialogue between the parties, the only condition for putting an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It's the only solution. Violence, terrorism, and the failure to respect each other won't allow things to move forward. Only the political process will do this. Let's make this Palestinian election, which, after all, showed us there was a Palestinian democracy, a first step towards the political process. We hope to see the armed militia lay down their weapons and turn towards the political process and democracy.

THE MINISTER – As regards European financial aid, a balance has to be found. On the one hand, there's no question of funding movements on the European list of terrorist movements and, at the same time, we mustn't give the Palestinian Authority – I'm not saying Hamas – the impression that we're stopping all funding, since that would considerably delay the establishment of the rule of law, which is the only way to enable the Palestinian Territories eventually to become a State, and this is obviously the international community's goal: on one side, Israel living in peace and, on the other, a land for the Palestinians in a State worthy of the name, side by side, each respecting the other./.