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    VIENNA, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The extraordinary meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, which opened here on Thursday, held here a debate on the Iran nuclear issue for the whole day, reaching no consensus on the issue.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei (R) speaks with his deputy Olli Heinonen before a board meeting at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna's U.N. headquarters February 2, 2006. [Xinhua]

    The debate focused on whether or not to adopt a draft resolution, tabled Wednesday by France, Germany and Britain, urging to report the Iran nuclear issue to the UN Security Council.

    The draft resolution asks Iran to take various confidence building steps on its peaceful nature of nuclear program.

    The steps include: to "re-establish full and suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities," including research and development; to "reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water."

    The draft resolution requests the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to "report to" the UN Security Council these steps required of Iran.

    Speaking to the meeting, the U.S. representative accused Iran of ignoring or defying "all" eighth resolution on Iran adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors, calling on the meeting to adopt the draft resolution tabled by the EU-3.

    "It is time to send a clear and unequivocal message to the Iranian regime about the concerns of the international community by reporting this issue to the Security Council," the diplomat said.

    The representative said the move is not to "seek sanctions" on Iran or to deprive Iran of its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purpose, but or other punitive measures on Iran", but to support the ongoing efforts of the IAEA "with the weight of the Security Council's authority."

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