By IRNA,
London : Prime Minister Gordon Brown was set Tuesday to offer to help Iran to develop nuclear power for civilian use within the framework of United Nations rules.
In what is being described as a timely diplomatic intervention, Brown was expected to call for “a new international system” to help non-nuclear states peacefully acquire the new sources of energy in order to wean them off fossil fuels and cut carbon emission.
”Iran is a test case for this new philosophy of the right to civil nuclear power with sanctions for rule breakers,” he was due to say in an address to Lancaster House, according to advance extracts of his speech.
”Let me be unequivocal: Iran has the same absolute right to a peaceful civil nuclear programme as any other country. Indeed the UK and international community stand ready to help Iran achieve it,” the British premier was quoted saying.
His speech is his first on the issue since holding talks with new US President Barack Obama, who has offered to change policy and open a dialogue with Iran.
“I hope that Iran will make the right choice and take advantage of the international community’s willingness to negotiate, including President Obama’s offer of engagement, rather than face further sanctions and regional instability,” Brown was set to say.
Europe, America and Russia have a standing offer to help Iran with a civil nuclear power programme if it accepts all-out UN inspections among other things, but that offer has made no progress.
The initiative was expected to be in the context of warning that the world will fail to tackle climate change without building dozens of nuclear power plants.
Brown’s speech also reiterates many of the principles of the negotiations with Iran, under which world powers offered a significant set of incentives.
His new approach reportedly includes offering Iran a “clear choice” while insisting once again that its current nuclear programme remains “unacceptable.”