UK plays down London talks on Iran's nuclear case
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, Nov 18, IRNA
Iran Nuclear-London Talks
The British Foreign Office Friday played down the arrival of high ranking officials from Russia, China and the US for unprecedented talks with EU negotiators on Iran's nuclear case.
"We have been having long-standing consultations with major partners on how to address concerns about Iran's nuclear programme," a Foreign Office spokesman said.
"We will continue and there will be a further round of consultations today," he told IRNA without elaborating on the nature of the talks.
The discussions, which reportedly includes US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, comes ahead of next week's 35-nation meeting of IAEA board governors, which are due to consider whether to refer Iran's case to the UN Security Council.
The London meeting also coincided with US President George. W.
Bush reportedly voicing appreciation Friday for Russia's compromise proposal, saying that the initiative was "helpful."
Britain, which holds the EU presidency, has yet to clarify its position on the proposal, but a Foreign Office spokesman told IRNA Thursday: "We hope Iran will engage with the Russians on their idea."
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Tuesday indicated that some progress may have been made in the offer, saying that he had heard that the Russian talks in Tehran last weekend had been "useful but not conclusive."
To back up the proposal, Britain is not ruling advancing the EU's original offer of nuclear cooperation made under the terms of the Paris Agreement but first wants Iran to return to the negotiating table.
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