Uranium enrichment is a ‘right’: Hans Blix

TEHRAN,Nov.24(MNA) — Hans Blix, the former director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said his interpretation of Article IV of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is that uranium enrichment is a “right”. The remarks by Blix come as Iran and the six major powers (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, known as the 5+1 group) are negotiating in Geneva. Iran says its right to enrichment, as a signatory to the NPT, must be recognized by the West. Blix said definition of enrichment is a matter of difference between Iran and the six powers. The former IAEA chief said Iran says according to the NPT uranium enrichment is its right but certain countries among the 5+1 group have another interpretation and argue that there is not something as the “right to enrichment”. The Article IV of the NPT says: 1. Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with Articles I and II of this Treaty. 2. All the Parties to the Treaty undertake to facilitate, and have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Parties to the Treaty in a position to do so shall also co-operate in contributing alone or together with other States or international organizations to the further development of the applications of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, especially in the territories of non-nuclear-weapon States Party to the Treaty, with due consideration for the needs of the developing areas of the world.