VIENNA, Nov 29 (AFP) - There is no time limit to Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment and the freeze should not be linked in duration to future talks with EU states, UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Monday.
"There is no time limit on the suspension," ElBaradei told a press conference, adding that a letter his International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had received from Iran did not put a "time line on the suspension."
ElBaradei said the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors had said at a meeting that they "hoped the suspension would be maintained. I certainly echo that call to maintain what is an important confidence-building measure."
ElBaradei also said that both he and the board "do not think that it (the suspension) should be linked to any talks with the Europeans."
Iran had reached the agreement to freeze enrichment in talks earlier this month with EU negotiators Britain, Germany and France, and is to embark on talks in December on a long-term agreement, with the suspension due to last as long as these talks continue.
But Iranian official Siroos Nasseri told reporters that "the suspension will continue while negotiations move forward," hinting that Iran could end the freeze if the talks did not go well.
11/29/2004 16:59 GMT - AFP