Arab Gulf States Say They Want Nuclear Technology

At the end of a two-day summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, members said in a statement that they are seeking technology solely for peaceful purposes.
 
The statement also called on Iran to cooperate with the international community over its nuclear energy program, which Western countries suspect is aimed at acquiring atomic weapons.
 
Iranian ISNA news agency today quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini as warning that Iran will revise its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the UN Security Council imposes sanctions over the disputed program.
 
He also said European countries -- presumably Britain, France, and Germany -- have taken a wrong turn in relation to Iran.
 
"The present draft [UN resolution] is more in line with the U.S. interfering policies," Hosseini was quoted as saying. "The three European countries have adopted a very wrong approach, and we hope that they revise their policies and return to the talks."
 
Washington and others have accused Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation that Tehran staunchly rejects.
 
The IAEA has repeatedly criticized Iran for its failure to disclose aspects of its nuclear program and said it has not been convinced that such work is not aimed at military objectives.

The Gulf Cooperation Council comprises the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.
 
(Reuters, AP)