GENEVA(AP)
Iran and the European Union's chief negotiators agreed
Saturday to resume talks on suspending uranium enrichment in two
weeks, after Tehran ruled out freezing its program in talks that
included the United States for the first time.
EU envoy Javier Solana told reporters after the Geneva talks
with Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili that the two would speak
either by telephone or personally.
"The meeting was constructive, but we didn't get still
the answer we were looking for," Solana said.
Jalili asked that Western powers not turn away from
negotiations.
"Iran is calling on the Western powers to resume the
dialogue," he said.
U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns was also present, but
did not speak publicly.
Washington's participation had raised expectations of
possible compromise on a formula under which Iran would agree to
stop expanding its enrichment activities. In exchange, six powers _
the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany _
would hold off on passing new U.N. sanctions against the Islamic
Republic.
But less then an hour after the talks started, Keyvan Imani, a
member of the Iranian delegation, indicated that Iran was not
prepared to budge on enrichment.
"Suspension _ there is no chance for that," he told
reporters gathered in the courtyard of Geneva's ornate City
Hall, the venue of the negotiations.
There also appeared to be little progress inside the talks.
A Western diplomat in Geneva familiar with their substance said
the Iranians were focusing on "the second or third step"
of substantial negotiations without addressing what the six powers
say is a prerequisite for such talks to happen _ a freeze of their
enrichment program. The diplomat demanded anonymity because his
information was confidential.
The presence of Burns at the talks _ the first instance of the
Americans attending such meetings _ had led to hopes of
compromise.
The enrichment issue is key because the activity can produce
either fuel for nuclear power stations or the material used in the
fissile core of warheads. Iran has defied three sets of U.N.
sanctions demanding it cease its program, saying it has a right to
its peaceful uses under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. But
there is growing concern the Islamic Republic might want to build
nuclear weapons instead.
Recent Iranian statements suggest Tehran is looking to improve
ties with the United States, with officials speaking positively of
deliberations by the U.S. administration to open an interests
section _ an informal diplomatic presence _ in Tehran after closing
its embassy decades ago.
Iran and the United States broke off diplomatic relations after
the 1979 Islamic Revolution and hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy
in Tehran. Official contacts between the two countries are
extremely rare.
Imani said Iran had not yet received a proposal from the U.S. on
opening a representation but would "study it positively"
if it did.
___
Associated Press Writer Bradley S. Klapper contributed to this
report from Geneva.
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