VIENNA, March 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran's nuclear program, a hot issueover the past few months, has unexpectedly received a "cold treatment" at the four-day meeting of the world's atomic watchdog which ended here Thursday.

    The Board of Governors' meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which drew representatives from 35 member states, did not make clear whether it will punish Iran's refusal to further cooperation nor elaborate on what concrete measures it will take.

    The Chairman's Conclusion, into which the agency's opinions on both Iran and Egypt's nuclear activities are packed, just said that Iran should provide full transparency and proactive cooperation, falling short of saying how and when.

    This cold treatment to the issue is regarded as a sure result of several elements including latest warming up in Euro-US relations, Iran's attitude as well as the international community'strong call for peaceful resolution of the issue.

    During his recent fence-mending visit to Europe, US President George W. Bush said that Iran's nuclear issue is in the "early stages of diplomacy" although no option is off the table. He expressed commitment to support for the European Union's (EU) approach towards the issue by trying to resolve the issue by peaceful negotiations.

    On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also took a reconciliatory line on Iran, stressing the role of diplomacy and the three EU countries.

    Of course, the US also took into account the Russian approach towards and stance on the matter.

    Equally important, the IAEA has so far not yet found any evidence pointing to Iran's possible nuclear weapons program in spite of several rounds of verification. Lack of evidence is also leading to the cooling down of the issue at this IAEA meeting.

    Several IAEA members expressed appreciation to the Secretariat for the professional and impartial implementation of safeguards inIran while others aired their concern over Iran's failure to provide information in timely manner.

    "The Board requested the Secretariat to continue to provide it with timely and detailed information on progress on this matter," the meeting's Chairman's Conclusion said.

    Undoubtedly, the international community's broad support for peaceful resolution to the issue is another factor responsible forthe cold treatment.

    At the meeting, Iranian Permanent Representative to the IAEA Cyrus Nasseri said that Iran " is sincere and serious in its negotiations with the EU. To this end Iran is intent in continuingits full-fledge cooperation with the Agency."

    The EU, represented by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, reaffirmed its call for resolving the matter through diplomatic channels.

    "We fully support the Director-General's call to Iran to provide fully transparency and extend a prompt and proactive cooperation with the Agency in order to make up for the confidencedeficit created by its past activities and to build the necessary confidence in the future," said an EU report read at the meeting.

    Diplomats attending the meeting said that most of the 35 memberstates of the Board of Governors are in favor of encouraging Iran to cooperate with the Agency. The US government would find itself the only fighter in the camp if it continues to exert pressure on Tehran.

    However, analysts here said that it is without doubt that Washington's Mideast scheme remains unchanged. Although the matterwas not as hot as expected by the public at the meeting, Washington which has so fond of unilateralism that it can bring Iran's nuclear issue back into limelight if need be. Enditem