Japan concerned at Iran's refusal of U.N. nuclear proposal+

TOKYO, Dec. 3 Kyodo -
Japan on Thursday expressed ''strong concerns'' over Iran's reported refusal to
accept a U.N.-backed proposal to transfer low-enriched uranium out of Iran with
the aim of converting it into fuel for a research reactor.

The statement by Foreign Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama was issued after Iran's
state-run broadcast reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
expressed a day earlier his refusal of the proposal made by the International
Atomic Energy Agency.
''If it is true that Iran is refusing to accept the IAEA proposal and plans to
produce about 20 percent of enriched uranium in the country...we are strongly
concerned,'' the statement said. ''We strongly urge a constructive response
(from Iran).''
Japan will continue to make efforts for a peaceful and diplomatic solution over
the Iranian nuclear issue through cooperation with the United States and other
major countries concerned and through its own relationship with Iran, the
statement said.
==Kyodo
2009-12-03 23:14:42