Iran, NAM countries downgrade atom treaty text

By Mark Heinrich

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran and other developing nations cast a cloud over global nuclear disarmament efforts on Friday by downgrading the final statement of a two-week review meeting.

Diplomats said their move dealt a symbolic blow to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the outset of a new review cycle leading to a decision-making conference in 2010.

Developing states said the meeting's summary dwelled unduly on noncompliance with NPT rules, singling out Iran at the behest of Western powers, while downplaying those powers' obligation to phase out their nuclear arsenals.

They also objected to a reference that delegates had called for intrusive snap inspections by U.N. inspectors to be made a condition for developing nations to receive nuclear fuel from rich nations for civilian atomic energy, they said.

As a result of their objections the text, instead of being attached to a final report listing procedural decisions and position papers submitted, was relegated to the status of a "working paper" added to 77 others submitted at the gathering.

"It gives the impression of a dying NPT, even though we will meet again next year to pick up the ball again," said one diplomat.

"It's not the NAM as such that is causing this impasse, it's the Iranians playing terrible games," said a European diplomat.

Iran had earlier paralyzed the two-week meeting for six days by blocking consensus for the agenda before accepting a minor semantic change to the text.

Iran has been hit by U.N. sanctions for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, which world powers suspect is meant to yield atomic bombs not electricity as the Islamic Republic says, and for impeding U.N. inspector inquiries into his nuclear activity.

"Serious concern was expressed over Iran's nuclear program and it was strongly urged to comply with all the requirements (in resolutions by the U.N. Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency urging it to stop enrichment) without further delay," the summary by meeting chairman Japan read.

"It was noted that these multiple unanimous Security Council resolutions ... demonstrate the resolve of the international community on this issue," it said.

"For its part, Iran indicated its readiness, provided Security Council disengagement (from handling Iran's case) was realized, to resolve issues in the framework of the IAEA."

Analysts said the chairman's summary tried to strike a balance by citing dismay among developing nations over the slowness of nuclear weapons powers to dismantle their arsenals in stages, as called for by the treaty.

"We think the report is fair, balanced and representative. The precedent of rejecting the chair's text undermines standard multilateral practices, which sets a dangerous precedent for the NPT itself," said disarmament campaigner Felicity Hill.