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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
West plans to push IAEA board to find Iran in breach of duties, diplomats say
The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is displayed at the agency's headquarters on the opening day of a quarterly meeting of its 35-nation Board of Governors in Vienna, Austria, June 3, 2024. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo VIENNA - Western powers are preparing to push the U.N. nuclear watchdog's board at its next quarterly meeting to declare Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years, a move bound to enrage Tehran, diplomats said. The step is likely to further complicate talks between the United States and Iran aimed at imposing fresh restrictions on Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme. Washington and its European allies Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, proposed past resolutions adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors calling on Iran to quickly take steps such as explain uranium traces the IAEA found at undeclared sites. The IAEA is preparing to send member states its quarterly reports on Iran before the next board meeting, which begins on June 9. One of those will be a longer, "comprehensive" account of issues including Iran's cooperation, as demanded by a board resolution in November, and diplomats expect it to be damning. "We expect the comprehensive report to be tough, but there were already no doubts over Iran not keeping its non-proliferation commitments," one European official said. Once that report is issued, the United States will draft a proposed resolution text declaring Iran in breach of its so-called safeguards obligations, three diplomats said. A fourth said the Western powers were preparing a draft resolution without going into specifics. The text will be discussed with countries on the board in coming days before being formally submitted to the board by the four Western powers during the quarterly meeting as has happened with previous resolutions, diplomats said. SECURITY COUNCIL The last time the board took the step of formally declaring Iran in breach of its safeguards obligations was in September 2005 as part of a diplomatic standoff that stemmed from the discovery of clandestine nuclear activities in Iran. The United States and IAEA now believe Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. Iran denies ever having had a weapons programme and says it is only using nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. A separate IAEA board resolution passed in February 2006 referred Iran's non-compliance to the U.N. Security Council, which later imposed sanctions on Iran. The diplomats said it had not yet been determined at what point the Western powers would seek to have the matter referred to the Security Council, and it is unclear what action if any the Security Council would then take against Iran. The most immediate effect of a resolution is likely to be on Tehran's talks with the United States and any further nuclear steps Iran decides to take on the ground. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would react to a resolution by "expanding nuclear work based on (the content of) the resolution". The board has passed all recent resolutions proposed by the Western powers on Iran, and there is little doubt that this one would go through as well. The only question is how large the majority would be. Russia and China have been the only countries to consistently oppose such resolutions. Iran bristles at resolutions and other criticism of it at the IAEA board, taking steps such as accelerating and expanding its uranium enrichment programme or barring top IAEA inspectors. It is already enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, which can easily be further enriched to the roughly 90% of weapons grade. It has enough material at that level, if enriched further, for six nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Recorder
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
ADB president calls for collective action to solve complex challenges
The uncertainties facing Asia and the Pacific are also an opportunity to build a more resilient and sustainable future, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda said at the Opening Session of ADB's 58th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors. 'External shocks, debt burdens, and climate change weigh heavily on the people and economies of the region. But we are not starting from zero. Growth remains solid, trade and economic integration are deepening, supply chains are diversifying, and digital connectivity and innovation are accelerating,' said Mr. Kanda. 'Uncertainty is not a reason for retreat. It is a call to be bolder, to move faster, and to work more closely than ever before.' More than 5,000 participants joined the Annual Meeting in Milan, Italy consisting of representatives of governments—including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—the private sector, civil society, and academia. Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti and Governor of the Bank of Italy and Chair of the ADB Board of Governors Fabio Panetta also spoke at the Opening Session, emphasizing Italy's partnership with ADB. 'Enhanced collaboration will support higher and sustainable long-term economic growth, avoiding the materialisation of downside risks and mitigating their possible consequences,' said Mr Giorgetti. 'As a leading multilateral development bank and trusted partner in Asia and the Pacific, ADB has been working to solve complex challenges together with its members and partners, both regional and nonregional.' This year's annual meeting highlights four focus areas that are central to driving transformational change across Asia and the Pacific. First, to address the vulnerability of the region's food systems, ADB will scale up financing for food systems transformation to $40 billion by 2030. Second, ADB is investing in digital technologies to improve access to education, finance, and markets. Third, ADB is investing in modernizing and connecting energy systems, including readiness to commit up to $10 billion to support work on the ASEAN Power Grid. Fourth, ADB is deepening investments to build resilience by strengthening infrastructure, restoring and protecting ecosystems, and helping vulnerable communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. ADB also reaffirmed its commitment to scale up private sector development, aiming to increase private sector financing four-fold to $13 billion annually by 2030.
Associated Press
25-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
NBA will continue talks on expanding role in European basketball at board meeting this week
The NBA's ongoing exploration of expanding its role in European basketball will continue this week at the league's Board of Governors meeting in New York, as Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this year would be the case. The NBA and FIBA, the sport's global governing body, have been in ramped-up talks since at least last summer about adding either an annual competition in Europe or even having an NBA-operated league there. What happens next isn't clear. This much is clear: The NBA and FIBA — who have had a working relationship for decades — have a similar vision about the potential of the game in Europe from both a commercial and competitive standpoint. 'At this week's NBA Board of Governors meeting, the league will report on its exploration of a new men's basketball league in Europe, in partnership with FIBA,' a league spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday released to The Associated Press and other outlets. In January, speaking at the NBA Paris Games — when the league took advantage of the trip to France to meet with European stakeholders on this very topic — Silver said he believes the NBA remains 'on track' in the process of expanding its footprint in Europe. That was also when he said the league's governors would be briefed further at the March meeting. 'We are looking very closely to see if there's an opportunity to professionalize the game to another level here, to create a larger commercial opportunity,' Silver said in January. 'And not just because commercial opportunity suggests you can grow revenue, but because we believe that with markets, if you can create proper incentives, you can get significant additional investment. And ultimately, that's the way to grow the game at all levels.' The NBA first played an exhibition in Europe in 1984 and has been sending teams there regularly for either preseason or regular-season games since 1993. San Antonio — featuring French star Victor Wembanyama — played Indiana in Paris twice in January, the first time that two NBA teams played back-to-back regular-season games in Europe against one another. ___
