Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik on the sidelines of the IAEA General Conference

Vienna, 17 September 2007 - "In the light of today's discussion about Iran's nuclear programme the EU-3 initiative for a double time-out is still highly relevant", said Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik on the margins of today's 51st General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. It is hoped that a double time-out - the suspension of uranium enrichment in Iran and of the existing UN sanctions at the same time - will pave the way for new negotiations with Iran. "This incentive is designed as part of the international discussion on the solution of the Iran issue. I am therefore very pleased that Germany, France and the United Kingdom have taken up a proposal put forward by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei some time ago", continued Plassnik, referring to the positive reaction that has also come from the USA.

"I emphatically appeal to Iran to respond to this signal in a constructive manner. In view of the forthcoming meeting between the EU-3 and the USA, Russia and China on 21 September in Washington this would be an important contribution to detente and the verbal disarmament that is so urgently needed in the Iran issue", concluded the Foreign Minister.