EU says Iran nuclear talks likely next month

[News_Editor]

EU says Iran nuclear talks likely next month

2010-11-23 01:05:14 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton on Monday said that the nuclear talks with Iran will likely take place next months as she received informal confirmation on the issue.

However, Ashton wants a formal confirmation from the Iranian government led by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about the date and venue for the negotiations. Dialogue between Iran and the P5+1 (UK, China, France, Russia, Germany and the United States) has been stalled since October 2009.

Last month, Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, sent a letter to Ashton indicating the willingness of the Iranian government to resume the talks with the P5+1 group. Jalili even informed the EU official about a venue and date for the negotiations but Ashton proposed Viena or Geneva as possible venues for the first meeting.

According to the semi-official Fars news agency, a senior Iranian security official on Monday said that the P5+1 should take the steps needed to build Iran's confidence in the upcoming talks and warn that any pressure to deprive Iran from its rights will stop negotiations.

The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Undersecretary for Foreign Policy and International Security Affairs Ali Baqeri remarked that Iran has a positive approach towards the talks and added that negotiations could be a turning point in the relations between Iran and the Western countries.

Baqueri added that President Ahmadinejad said that during the upcoming December 5 talks, Iran will not negotiate about its right of having a nuclear program but will discuss on different regional and international issues based on the preconditions demanded earlier.

Iran, as mentioned in Jalili's letter to Ashton, demanded prerequisites for the talks in the form of three questions that the P5+1 members must provide clear and proper responses before any round of negotiations take place.

"Of course, we have set conditions for the talks and they (the six major powers) should announce their stance about the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), their goals of negotiation and the atomic bombs of Israel," Ahmadinejad said during a speech in Ardebil, northern Iran.

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