http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1513260
Iran, 5+1 likely to hold talks in Istanbul: Salehi
TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (MNA) – The Iranian foreign minister has said that a new round of talks between Tehran and the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) is likely to be held in Istanbul.
"I’m not sure, but the negotiations are likely to be held in Istanbul,” Ali Akbar Salehi said in Ankara on Wednesday.
However, Salehi did not say when the negotiations are going to be held.
The Iranian foreign minister travelled to Ankara on Wednesday to attend the 23rd meeting of Iran-Turkey joint economic committee. He is scheduled to return home on Thursday, January 19.
Iran and the six major powers have recently signaled readiness to resume nuclear talks and Turkey has said that it is ready to host the negotiations.
Salehi also said that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will be in contact with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the six major powers in nuclear negotiations with Iran, and Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili to decide when the talks should be held.
In late January 2011, a new round of talks between Iran and the major powers was held in Istanbul but no date was set for the next round of negotiations.
After the end of the Geneva talks in early December 2010, Jalili announced that Iran and the 5+1 group had agreed that the next rounds of talks should focus on common ground for cooperation.
However, the 5+1 group reneged on the agreement, and after the end of the Geneva talks, Ashton read out a statement saying the nuclear issue would be the focus of the next round of talks, a move which drew strong criticism from Iranian officials.
The main bone of contention between Tehran and the West is Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
Iran says all its nuclear activities are totally peaceful, and, as an International Atomic Energy Agency member and a nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory, it has the legal right to produce nuclear fuel for its research reactors and nuclear power plants.
EP/PA
END
MNA
Iran, 5+1 likely to hold talks in Istanbul: Salehi
TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (MNA) – The Iranian foreign minister has said that a new round of talks between Tehran and the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) is likely to be held in Istanbul.
"I’m not sure, but the negotiations are likely to be held in Istanbul,” Ali Akbar Salehi said in Ankara on Wednesday.
However, Salehi did not say when the negotiations are going to be held.
The Iranian foreign minister travelled to Ankara on Wednesday to attend the 23rd meeting of Iran-Turkey joint economic committee. He is scheduled to return home on Thursday, January 19.
Iran and the six major powers have recently signaled readiness to resume nuclear talks and Turkey has said that it is ready to host the negotiations.
Salehi also said that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will be in contact with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the six major powers in nuclear negotiations with Iran, and Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili to decide when the talks should be held.
In late January 2011, a new round of talks between Iran and the major powers was held in Istanbul but no date was set for the next round of negotiations.
After the end of the Geneva talks in early December 2010, Jalili announced that Iran and the 5+1 group had agreed that the next rounds of talks should focus on common ground for cooperation.
However, the 5+1 group reneged on the agreement, and after the end of the Geneva talks, Ashton read out a statement saying the nuclear issue would be the focus of the next round of talks, a move which drew strong criticism from Iranian officials.
The main bone of contention between Tehran and the West is Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
Iran says all its nuclear activities are totally peaceful, and, as an International Atomic Energy Agency member and a nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory, it has the legal right to produce nuclear fuel for its research reactors and nuclear power plants.
EP/PA
END
MNA
