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QUESTION: A Chinese diplomat at the UN, speaking of the report on Iran's nuclear programs and the result of that report, says that there will be a meeting of foreign ministers -- I guess that's the six, 5+1 -- at UN headquarters in New York, coincident with a planned Quartet meeting there, and this is apart from the Paris meeting. That's the 2nd. This would be the 9th. Can you verify from the U.S. standpoint if that's the scenario?
MR. ERELI: I don't have anything to confirm for you, other than what we've already announced, which is obviously the May 2nd meeting in Paris at the political director level with the P-5 + Germany. We're expecting the Director General's report tomorrow. We obviously look forward to studying that report and it will inform, obviously, our discussions in Paris. The focus of those discussions will, obviously, be on next steps. I don't want to go beyond that in predicting what those next steps will be. Obviously, a meeting of the Security Council is expected, but dates and level of representation is something that we'll need to coordinate and firm up with our Security Council partners.
QUESTION: It's increasingly apparent that the U.S. is not going to jump on this report and to take the immediate strong steps that Secretary Rice said have to be taken just a few days ago and hasn't said again since. That you have to deliberate -- you evidently don't have the votes, you have a meeting in Paris, maybe you have a meeting in New York. There's even a persistent rumor you go back to the Board of Governors.
Is it fair to say that even before the report comes out, because you know what it's going to say, that the Administration is delaying -- or deferring, if that's a more tactful word -- action in the Security Council because it doesn't have the votes or because it has to -- Burns says you have no joint strategy yet.
MR. ERELI: I didn't hear him say that.
QUESTION: Yes, he did. He said that at the -- where did we see him?
QUESTION: In the briefing room when he briefed us --
MR. ERELI: Let me say this --
QUESTION: Excuse me, I don't want to misquote the guy, that you don't have a plan of action agreed to.
MR. ERELI: Well, we -- that's the purpose of meeting in Paris. I think there is clearly a commonly held view that Iran's program is of concern and a commonly shared goal of achieving a suspension of Iran's enrichment program and returning to negotiation. That is a broad, joint approach. Obviously, as the -- in response to Iranian inaction and confrontation, we're going to need to maintain close consultation and closed ranks on how we move forward step by step, and that's in the realm of tactics. But in the realm of strategic objectives, we are, I would say, all one. That's the first point.
The second point is I would expect a very strong and firm reaction in response to the Director General's report. Why? Because it's quite evident to us that Iran has failed to take the steps called for in the March 29th UN Security Council presidential statement and that in response we need to go beyond a presidential statement. We need to take meaningful action in the Security Council and that is our intention and that will be what we're working with our partners on doing.
QUESTION: Just a follow-up on that. I think the Russians have already said that the report or the presentation of the report will not necessarily be an action point to get what Barry was saying and the Secretary was saying about the strong steps.
MR. ERELI: Yeah, let's -- I think let's see what's in the report, and I would expect in the May 2nd meetings and afterwards you'll see a strong response.
QUESTION: You don't suppose that message is vitiated by the need to constantly regroup and consider what to do and overcome differences. I mean, it's clear what the U.S. would like to do and even the Europeans, but I'm not so sure about all the (inaudible).
MR. ERELI: Well, frankly, I would argue the contrary. I would argue that the constant consultations and coordination and meetings among a steadily more cohesive and unified group of international actors demonstrates and proves what we've been saying for some time; that Iran is increasingly isolated, the pressure is steadily rising, and the conviction and determination of the international community is growing stronger and stronger with every misstep and provocation that Iran presents.
Yes, sir. Still on Iran?
QUESTION: Yeah. Did the U.S. request a meeting for the Security Council on Wednesday?
MR. ERELI: Not that I'm aware of. On Iran? Not that I'm -- on Wednesday?
QUESTION: On Dr. ElBaradei's report, yeah.
MR. ERELI: I don't know what -- I haven't seen that. I'll have to check and see what's on the docket. It's possible, but I just don't know.
Yeah.
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