reuters
Iran says nuclear talks could be held in Turkey
By Hashem Kalantari
TEHRAN Sun Nov 7, 2010 2:32pm GMT
TEHRAN Sun Nov 7, 2010 2:32pm GMT
(Reuters) - Iran is ready to hold talks with the major powers concerned about its nuclear programme "as soon as possible" and Turkey may be the best venue for negotiations, its foreign minister said on Sunday.
It was the strongest signal yet of Iranian interest in reviving talks that stalled a year ago, leading to tighter international sanctions against Iran over its refusal to curb its nuclear work and make it more accessible to U.N. inspections.
"We have told our Turkish friends that we are in agreement with regard to holding these talks in Turkey," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference.
Many countries are concerned that Iran is developing a nuclear industry in order to be able to produce nuclear weapons, something the Islamic Republic denies, saying it only seeks nuclear energy and other peaceful applications.
The eight-year-old stand-off has the potential to ignite a regional arms race and degenerate into a wider Middle East conflict. Israel and its main ally, the United States, do not rule out a pre-emptive strike to stop Iran, which rejects the Jewish state's existence, from getting the bomb.
The "P5+1" powers -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain, all permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany -- have offered talks on November 15-17 in Vienna, an approach welcomed by Iran but not formally agreed to.
Iran has sent mixed signals over a resumption of talks.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed the sanctions as no more effective than a "used handkerchief."
He has demanded the six powers state whether they come to the table as Iran's friend or foe, and that they express their opinion of Israel's alleged nuclear arsenal -- topics Western diplomats have said are irrelevant to the main issue in talks.
A senior Ahmadinejad aide said that even if Iran does agree to the talks it will not negotiate about its nuclear programme -- which would be a non-starter for the powers.
But Mottaki was upbeat. "Consultations are under way, they are on the right track," he said.
"We are hopeful that the time and the agenda and content of the talks will soon be agreed upon by both parties and that both parties will start the talks as soon as possible."
TURKEY READY
The Turkish foreign ministry said Mottaki had been in touch to suggest holding talks there. "We said to Iranian officials that as Turkey we are ready to do our best in that regard. But there is no decision yet regarding the exact timing and place of the talks," an official said.
A spokesman for Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said she was aware of Mottaki's comments, "but we have not yet received an official proposal from Iran in this regard.
It was the strongest signal yet of Iranian interest in reviving talks that stalled a year ago, leading to tighter international sanctions against Iran over its refusal to curb its nuclear work and make it more accessible to U.N. inspections.
"We have told our Turkish friends that we are in agreement with regard to holding these talks in Turkey," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference.
Many countries are concerned that Iran is developing a nuclear industry in order to be able to produce nuclear weapons, something the Islamic Republic denies, saying it only seeks nuclear energy and other peaceful applications.
The eight-year-old stand-off has the potential to ignite a regional arms race and degenerate into a wider Middle East conflict. Israel and its main ally, the United States, do not rule out a pre-emptive strike to stop Iran, which rejects the Jewish state's existence, from getting the bomb.
The "P5+1" powers -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain, all permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany -- have offered talks on November 15-17 in Vienna, an approach welcomed by Iran but not formally agreed to.
Iran has sent mixed signals over a resumption of talks.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed the sanctions as no more effective than a "used handkerchief."
He has demanded the six powers state whether they come to the table as Iran's friend or foe, and that they express their opinion of Israel's alleged nuclear arsenal -- topics Western diplomats have said are irrelevant to the main issue in talks.
A senior Ahmadinejad aide said that even if Iran does agree to the talks it will not negotiate about its nuclear programme -- which would be a non-starter for the powers.
But Mottaki was upbeat. "Consultations are under way, they are on the right track," he said.
"We are hopeful that the time and the agenda and content of the talks will soon be agreed upon by both parties and that both parties will start the talks as soon as possible."
TURKEY READY
The Turkish foreign ministry said Mottaki had been in touch to suggest holding talks there. "We said to Iranian officials that as Turkey we are ready to do our best in that regard. But there is no decision yet regarding the exact timing and place of the talks," an official said.
A spokesman for Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said she was aware of Mottaki's comments, "but we have not yet received an official proposal from Iran in this regard.
"Once we receive an official proposal for a specific time and place to meet, we will consider this with our (P5+1) partners and respond accordingly," the spokesman said.
Similar talks in October last year concluded with a fuel swap deal in principle under which Iran would have shipped out the bulk of its stock of low-enriched uranium in exchange for high-enriched fuel for a medical reactor in Tehran.
That understanding unravelled when the Iran later tried to impose further conditions.
Turkey and Brazil -- both friendly towards Iran -- tried to revive the fuel swap, but the deal they struck with Tehran in May was considered by Washington to be too little and too late to stop tighter sanctions.
In June, the Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions on Iran, reiterating its demand it suspend uranium enrichment -- a process which some countries fear could lead to Iran producing weapons-grade nuclear fuel.
Along with tougher restrictions imposed by the United States and the EU, the measures have hurt Iran's ability to conduct financial transactions and have put many companies off from investing in its vital energy sector.
(Additional reporting by Ibon Villelabeitia in Ankara and Felix Bate in Brussels; writing by Robin Pomeroy; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Similar talks in October last year concluded with a fuel swap deal in principle under which Iran would have shipped out the bulk of its stock of low-enriched uranium in exchange for high-enriched fuel for a medical reactor in Tehran.
That understanding unravelled when the Iran later tried to impose further conditions.
Turkey and Brazil -- both friendly towards Iran -- tried to revive the fuel swap, but the deal they struck with Tehran in May was considered by Washington to be too little and too late to stop tighter sanctions.
In June, the Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions on Iran, reiterating its demand it suspend uranium enrichment -- a process which some countries fear could lead to Iran producing weapons-grade nuclear fuel.
Along with tougher restrictions imposed by the United States and the EU, the measures have hurt Iran's ability to conduct financial transactions and have put many companies off from investing in its vital energy sector.
(Additional reporting by Ibon Villelabeitia in Ankara and Felix Bate in Brussels; writing by Robin Pomeroy; editing by Mark Heinrich)
reuters
Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks: Gul
By Anna Yukhananov
OXFORD, England Mon Nov 8, 2010 9:27pm GMT
OXFORD, England (Reuters) - Turkey expects to host talks between Iran and six major powers on Tehran's nuclear programme "some time soon," President Abdullah Gul said on Monday.
Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday Iran was ready to hold talks with the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany (known as the P5+1) and that Turkey might be the best venue.
"As a result of more recent developments, you have also heard that Turkey will host the P5+1 meeting with Iran in Turkey and that is going to happen some time soon," Gul said at an event in Oxford, England.
Largely Muslim Turkey is a NATO member and candidate for European Union membership. It has developed closer commercial and political relations with neighbor Iran in the last few years.
Gul, speaking through an interpreter, said Turkey believed talks were important confidence-building measures and steps toward a diplomatic solution."
Many countries are concerned Iran is using a civilian nuclear programme to conceal development of nuclear weapons, something the Islamic Republic denies. Tehran says it seeks nuclear energy only for generation of electricity.
The failure of talks between Iran and the major powers a year ago led to a tightening of international sanctions against Tehran.
The eight-year-old stand-off has the potential to ignite a regional arms race.
Israel and its main ally, the United States, do not rule out a pre-emptive strike to stop Iran getting the bomb.
Gul said Turkey had seen the consequences of war in the Middle East during the 1990s and during the war in Iraq.
"To have another war that involves a neighboring country is not an experience that we would like to live through again. For this reason we are trying to ensure that these problems can be resolved through diplomacy," he said, at an event hosted by the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies.
The "P5+1" -- the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany -- has offered talks on November 15-17 in Vienna, an approach welcomed by Iran but not formally agreed to.
Iran has sent mixed signals over a resumption of talks.
A senior aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that even if Iran did agree to the talks it would not negotiate about its nuclear programme.
(Writing by Adrian Croft; Editing by Ralph Boulton)
reuters
Iran offers dates for talks with powers in Turkey
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN Tue Nov 9, 2010 9:13pm GMT
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran told world powers on Tuesday it was ready to hold talks in Turkey in late November or early December, but a senior official signalled reluctance to discuss elements of Tehran's nuclear plans at the meeting.
Western diplomats have made clear they want Iran to address concerns about its nuclear programme in discussions that six major powers -- the United States, France, Russia, Britain, Germany and China -- have offered to Tehran later this month.
But analysts say rivalries within Iran's conservative establishment may make it more difficult for the powers to strike any agreements with the Islamic Republic to restrain its nuclear activity, or even to conduct meaningful talks.
In a letter dated November 9 and seen by Reuters, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, told European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton that he was ready to meet in Istanbul on November 23 or December 5.
A spokesman for Ashton confirmed the letter and said she would be discussing it with the six world powers, who have given her a mandate to hold talks with Jalili. "It's a positive step and we'll be looking at the next steps," he said.
Jalili did not spell out what he wanted the discussions to focus on. Ashton has said everything should be on the table, including Iran's uranium enrichment programme, which the West suspects is aimed at producing fuel for nuclear weapons.
"I wish to reiterate that his excellency Dr Jalili ... will be ready to have a meeting on either 23rd of November or 5th of December 2010 in Istanbul," the letter read.
Ashton had proposed to meet on November 15-17 in Vienna. An EU diplomatic source said the powers were unlikely to have any problems with the new date proposed by Jalili but may suggest an alternative venue in Europe.
It would be the first such meeting in more than a year and also the first since the United Nations, the United States and the European Union imposed tougher sanctions on Iran.
NUCLEAR TALKS?
But Tehran has shown no sign of backing down over advancing enrichment work it says is for peaceful electricity production, shrugging off a four-year-old offer from the powers of trade and diplomatic benefits if it suspends the programme.
In Washington, the State Department said the powers would consult and respond soon to Jalili, and underscored that Iran's nuclear programme would be the main subject for any talks.
"At the top of our list is Iran's nuclear intentions," spokesman P.J. Crowley said. "We will work to try to nail down with Iran the specific date and location for this meeting."
A British Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have made clear that we are willing to discuss a range of issues tabled by Iran, but it is critical that substantive discussion of Iran's nuclear programme be at the heart of these negotiations."
Iran has been sending mixed signals on its readiness to talk and about the topics for discussion.
Earlier on Tuesday, ISNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying Iran will not discuss its nuclear programme in the proposed meeting, heightening doubt about the chances of progress in the long-running row.
He said this meant that a stalled proposal to swap some of Iran's enriched uranium stocks for special fuel to run Tehran's medical research reactor would not be on the agenda either.
Iran has previously said it was ready to resume unconditional talks on the fuel exchange idea, seen by the West as a possible way to build confidence for broader negotiations by reducing Iran's stockpile of potential nuclear bomb material.
EU diplomats have said in recent weeks that the message they have received from Iran was positive on holding discussions that would include the nuclear issue.
But an aide to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in late October that Iran was not prepared to discuss its nuclear programme with global powers "in this round" of negotiations.
Other Iranian officials have listed conditions for any nuclear talks, including that the parties state their opinion on the reputed nuclear arsenal of Tehran's arch-enemy, Israel.
Such comments have deepened scepticism in the West that Iran would be prepared to compromise on its nuclear programme, which its leaders see as the country's inalienable right.
"Iran has not shown any willingness to engage in a meaningful way," said David Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security, based in Washington.
(Additional reporting by Luke Baker in Brussels, Andrew Quinn in Washington and Adrian Croft in London; writing and additional reporting by Fredrik Dahl in Vienna; editing by Mark Heinrich)
He said this meant that a stalled proposal to swap some of Iran's enriched uranium stocks for special fuel to run Tehran's medical research reactor would not be on the agenda either.
Iran has previously said it was ready to resume unconditional talks on the fuel exchange idea, seen by the West as a possible way to build confidence for broader negotiations by reducing Iran's stockpile of potential nuclear bomb material.
EU diplomats have said in recent weeks that the message they have received from Iran was positive on holding discussions that would include the nuclear issue.
But an aide to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in late October that Iran was not prepared to discuss its nuclear programme with global powers "in this round" of negotiations.
Other Iranian officials have listed conditions for any nuclear talks, including that the parties state their opinion on the reputed nuclear arsenal of Tehran's arch-enemy, Israel.
Such comments have deepened scepticism in the West that Iran would be prepared to compromise on its nuclear programme, which its leaders see as the country's inalienable right.
"Iran has not shown any willingness to engage in a meaningful way," said David Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security, based in Washington.
(Additional reporting by Luke Baker in Brussels, Andrew Quinn in Washington and Adrian Croft in London; writing and additional reporting by Fredrik Dahl in Vienna; editing by Mark Heinrich)
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