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Solana: EU to comply with all obligations agreed with Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Brussels, Feb 8, IRNA -- European Union High Representative for the 
Common Foreign and Security People, Javier Solana, stressed Tuesday 
that the EU was serious in negotiations with Iran. 
"We are very serious. I don`t want to lose my smile but we are 
very serious when we deal with Iran and we are very much engaged," 
Solana told reporters during a joint press conference with visiting 
Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik in Brussels Tuesday 
evening. 
"We would like very much that talks which have started in Geneva 
and continue this week will produce results and will be positive," he 
said. 
"We will maintain the process of negotiations which is a 
development to which we agreed in November in Paris." 
"So seriousness on our side is clear. I would like also to say 
that seriousness on both sides is necessary, on our side you can be 
sure that it will be and we will comply with all the obligations that 
we have according to the signature that we signed in Paris in 
November," Solana added. 
The EU foreign policy chief was replying to a reporter`s question 
referring to calls by Iranian officials on the EU to be more serious 
in negotiations with the Islamic Republic. 
Meanwhile, Iranian and European officials began in Geneva Tuesday 
third round of negotiations linked with nuclear, economic and 
technology cooperation. 
An Iranian diplomat wishing to remain anonymous told IRNA that the
talks are going to be conducted by nuclear specialists. 
Reluctant to disclose further information on the issue, he hoped 
that the ongoing negotiations will bear positive results. 
He added that the talks are going to be held behind the closed 
doors and that the negotiators do not wish to present any information 
on the issue. 
Another Iranian diplomat declared on Monday that no news coverage 
is intended on the current negotiations. 
Similarly, the relevant EU officials have so far released no 
information on the third round of talks which is currently underway. 
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Hassan 
Rowhani and the senior Iranian negotiator on Iran`s nuclear program 
has said that the relevant talks will only continue in case any 
progress is to be achieved in the ongoing process. 
"The two sides had earlier agreed on a three-month negotiation 
period due to be expired on March 15, 2005," added Rowhani. 
The first two rounds of Iran-EU nuclear talks were conducted in 
the Belgian capital city of Brussels and the Swiss city of Geneva 
respectively. 
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