EU rejects nuclear inspection offer

The European Union (EU) foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton announced Friday the bloc would be rejecting an offer by Iran to tour its nuclear facilities, but that the EU remained optimistic about the outcome of talks with Iran later this month.

Iran has invited several ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna to inspect two sites - the Natanz uranium enrichment plant and the Arak heavy water complex - in the coming weeks.

Although Russia and China were invited, diplomats from Britain, France, Germany and the US were not.

Hungary, which is the president of the EU until the end of its mandate in July, was invited, leaving the EU in a quandary on how to react.

"What I'll be saying is the inspections of nuclear sites is for the IAEA and I do hope Iran will ensure that the IAEA is able to go and con-tinue and fulfill its work," Ashton told Reuters after talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, saying the invitation would be declined.

Ashton revealed that she had consulted with Russia and China before making her decision.

"I obviously coordinated with" the others who were invited, Ashton said. "My view is that though this is not an invitation that I'm taking a negative view of, it's not our job, and looking at the sites and establishing what they are requires expertise."

Western diplomats have described Iran's invitation as an attempt to split the six powers - the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - and to weaken any punitive sanctions against Tehran.

Reuters