People's Daily : EU, Iran satisfied with first round of nuclear talks

Sunday, September 10, 2006

EU, Iran satisfied with first round of nuclear talks

September 10, 2006

The European Union (EU) and Iran wound up the first round of talks on Tehran's nuclear dispute in Vienna on Saturday, with both sides expressing satisfaction with the results of the talks.

Following more than three hours of negotiation, Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani told reporters that the talks focused on the incentive package offered by six major powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- as well as Iran's response.

The talks were "constructive" and achieved "progress" in some fields, Larijani said.

He added that his negotiation with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana would continue on Sunday.

Solana's spokesperson Christina Gallach said Solana also found the talks with Larijani "constructive and positive."

On Aug. 22, Iran officially responded to the six-nation incentive package, saying it would like to negotiate on its nuclear issue. But analysts believed that Iran's response was not "comprehensive" and some "ambiguous" explanations needed to be clarified during the talks between Solana and Larijani.

The flurry of diplomacy followed Tehran's rejection of UN Security Council Resolution 1696, which calls on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities by Aug. 31.

At an informal meeting in Brussels last week, EU foreign ministers decided to maintain serious talks with Tehran in efforts to solve Iran's nuclear issue through diplomacy.

Source: Xinhua