Russian proposal on Iran's nuclear program could provide solution

U.N. nuclear chief &to=http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/2003/02/14/43393.html' target=_blank>Mohamed ElBaradei said Thursday he was hopeful that a Russian proposal could help break the standoff over Iran's nuclear research and enrichment plans.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, ElBaradei said he was happy that earlier in the day Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said Russia's proposal to move Iran's enrichment program to Russian territory was "a positive one."

ElBaradei said he was also encouraged that all parties were still talking about a diplomatic solution _ even the United States and key European nations that want the Iran issue referred to the U.N. Security Council.

Britain, France and Germany have been leading efforts to get Iran to abandon uranium conversion and enrichment activities _ which it refuses to do. The three countries declared that negotiations had reached a dead end two days after Iran broke U.N. seals at a uranium enrichment plant Jan. 10 and said it was resuming &to=http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/368/15407_nuclear.html' target=_blank>nuclear research after a two-year freeze.