Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether offers from Russia to Iran, in respect of uranium enrichment, could constitute a potential resolution to some of the outstanding international concerns regarding nuclear development in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19569/06]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department is in full agreement with the EU3 in respect of their negotiations on behalf of the Union with Iran regarding nuclear development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19567/06]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on recent meetings between the European Union and Iran; the discussions which may have been had at these meetings; the progress made with particular reference to the ongoing dispute over uranium enrichment in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19733/06]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has communicated a position to the EU3, on behalf of Ireland, in respect of their negotiations with Iran regarding nuclear development in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19568/06]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he last received a briefing from the EU3 in respect of their negotiations with Iran regarding nuclear development in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19566/06]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the most recent contacts which he has made with his counterparts among the EU3 to advise them of Ireland's position with regard to the development of nuclear capabilities by Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19810/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 74, 97, 122, 130 and 218 together.

The question of Iran's nuclear programme is kept under constant review within the European Union at official level and is also the subject of regular discussions at Ministerial level, most recently at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 15 May. The meeting received a briefing from the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom (collectively known as the EU3) and High Representative Solana. The meeting was informed that discussions were continuing at the UN Security Council in New York, with a view to formulating a resolution in light of the most recent report on the Iranian nuclear programme by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on 28 April last.

The last meeting between the European Union and Iran took place in Brussels on 20 February when Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki met the Commissioner for External Relations, Mrs Benita Ferrero-Walder, and High Representative Solana. The talks covered a broad agenda including the nuclear issue, human rights, cartoon caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, as well as the Middle East, terrorism and Iraq. This was the first meeting since Iran's unilateral declaration on 3 January that it would recommence its enrichment related activities. The meeting discussed this decision as well as the Russian proposal on nuclear cooperation. However, there was no concrete outcome and there are currently no plans for a further meeting.

The Council meeting regretted the failure of the Iranian authorities to take the steps deemed essential by the IAEA Board and the Security Council and called on the Iranian authorities to cooperate fully with the IAEA, suspend all enrichment related and reprocessing activities and the construction of a reactor moderated by heavy water, in order to create conditions in which negotiations might resume. The EU reaffirmed the right of Iran to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with its obligations under the NPT. The Council indicated that the EU would be prepared to support Iran's development of a safe, sustainable and proliferation-proof civilian nuclear programme, if international concerns were fully addressed and confidence in Iran's intentions established.

The proposal put forward by Russia some time ago envisaged establishing a uranium enrichment facility in Russia that would provide enriched uranium to Iran. Despite mixed messages from Iran on the merits of the proposal, a number of meetings took place between the two countries to discuss the details of the proposal. No agreement was reached on the main stumbling block of whether Iran could carry out enrichment, even in a limited form, on its own soil. Although no meetings have taken place in recent months on the proposal, the Russian Foreign Minister has recently confirmed that the offer remains open for discussion. The EU has welcomed the Russian efforts to seek a way forward involving the offer to Iran on nuclear cooperation. Whether this proposal could constitute a potential resolution of the matter depends to a large extent on Iran's willingness to suspend its enrichment activities.

The Government's position on the Iranian nuclear programme is a matter of public record. Ireland remains strongly committed to a diplomatic solution to this issue. I have made clear on several occasions my full support for the EU3. The initiative of the EU3 has also been endorsed by most countries on the IAEA Board of Governors. It is essential for Iran to respond to the calls by the Security Council and to implement the confidence building measures called for by the IAEA Board of Governors. This includes the suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.