SEOUL, MAY 15 (SPA) - U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN ON MONDAY CALLED FOR URGENT ACTION ON THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR CRISIS BUT SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE SIMMERING DISPUTE BETWEEN TEHRAN AND THE WEST. EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET ON MONDAY IN BRUSSELS TO WORK OUT TECHNICAL, TRADE AND POLITICAL SWEETENERS FOR IRAN. ANNAN MET SOUTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER BAN KI-MOON AND DISCUSSED WAYS TO RESOLVE THE IRANINAN CRISIS AND ALSO THE NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR STANDOFF, BOTH OF WHICH HE SAID HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ESCALATE A SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. "TODAY WE ALSO HAVE IRAN," ANNAN TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER MEETING BAN KI-MOON, A CONTENDER FOR HIS TOP U.N. JOB. "THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS TO TAKE VERY URGENT STEPS TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES BEFORE WE HAVE A CASCADE OF A PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS," HE SAID DURING A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH BAN KI-MOON. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/361156