S Africa supports Iran's N-plan for peace

Expressing concern over the doubtful nature of Iran's nuclear programme, South Africa has said that it did not favour a nuclear weaponised state, but stood for its right to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

''As a country, that remains committed to elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, South Africa does not wish to see a nuclear weaponised Iran. At the same time, we don't want to see denial of the right of any State party to the NPT to exploit nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,'' South Africa's representative to the IAEA said.

The country's Governor to the international nuclear watchdog, Abdul Samad Minty, made the observation in an address to the IAEA Board of Governors.

He added that a refusal to allow any signatory to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to develop atomic energy for civilian use would mean a negation of the pact's fundamental principle.

''The call on Iran to suspend its enrichment activities is related to the issue of building confidence, and may therefore under no circumstances become a goal in itself. If we allow this to happen, we will unravel the very basis of the fundamental bargain of the NPT,'' he said.

Minty said that South Africa was also concerned that the IAEA is not yet in a position to determine the full nature of Iran's nuclear programme and considered it important that the country intensified its co-operation with the Agency. More