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3rd round of talks between Iran, EU3 to be held in Paris

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Vienna, Oct 31, IRNA -- The third round of talks between Iran and the 
European Union (EU) on Iran`s nuclear programs is to be held on 
Friday, November 5, in Paris, it was announced here on Sunday. 
A European diplomat told IRNA that ways to achieve an agreement 
between the two sides will be followed up during the Paris meeting. 
The first and second rounds of talks were held at the French 
mission in Vienna on October 21 and 27. 
The Paris meeting will not be the last meeting to be held between 
representatives of Iran and the European trio (Britain, Germany, 
France), the diplomat said, adding that the talks will continue in the
future. 
The diplomat who was talking on the condition of anonymity, 
expressed the hope that by approving what the nuclear 
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has considered regarding the rights of 
member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the 
European side would help achieve a fair solution to the issue. 
During the first and second rounds of talks, the EU and Iran, 
respectively, offered their proposals to the other side but they were 
not accepted by either side. 
While the European states have urged Iran to suspend activities on
uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel cycle, the Islamic Republic has 
announced that it would not forego its legitimate rights in that 
regard. 
Iran, which has always stressed on the peaceful nature of its 
nuclear activities, believes that if it does not produce its needed 
nuclear fuel, it will never find a reliable source to meet its 
demanded nuclear fuel. Therefore, the country is not willing to ignore
its rights to get access to uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes. 
The first round of Iran-EU talks was held behind the closed doors 
in Vienna on Thursday, October 21, during which the European 
delegation presented its proposal to the Iranian side on reaching a 
consensus on the country`s nuclear program. 
The second round of talks between Iran and representatives of the 
European trio was held behind the closed doors also here on Wednesday,
October 27. During the session, Iran`s proposal was handed over to 
representatives of the EU3. 
According to the agreement reached between the two sides, the 
talks on Iran`s nuclear programs will continue in the future. 
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi has 
recently said that Iran, in its proposal, has stressed its commitment 
to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as well as its 
legitimate rights regarding the access to peaceful use of nuclear 
technology. 
"We will not abandon our legal rights to make use of nuclear 
technology for peaceful purposes," he reiterated, but said "a mutual 
understanding or agreement can be reached through dialogue." 
If Europe desires to come to an understanding, the only way would 
be for it to respect Iran`s views and do its part in building mutual 
confidence, he stressed. 
In related developments, Asefi said this morning that Iran hopes 
that Europe would show more flexibility in its upcoming talks with 
Tehran in order to reach an ideal conclusion. 
According to the spokesman the talks are likely to be held in 
Paris next Friday. 
Asked about the results of recent talks between Tehran and the 
European Big 3 and the nuclear package offered by the EU to Iran to 
try to end the nuclear standoff, the spokesman said that talks were 
continuing and the two sides were working on a joint compromise plan 
that would be offered to the two sides` officials. 
Asefi further stressed that any European commitment to settle the 
nuclear standoff had to be "tangible, certain, precise and clear." 
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