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FM: Comprehensive understanding possible if political will, goodwill exist

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Madrid, June 14, IRNA
Spain-Mottaki-Nuclear
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here Wednesday said comprehensive understanding on Iran's nuclear case can be achieved if goodwill and serious political will exist.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "Such an understanding will restore the rights of one side (Iran) and put an end to the concerns of the other (Western states)."
The minister assessed the recent developments in Iran's nuclear case and the package of incentives offered by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany (5+1) as 'positive' and 'a step forward'.

Early this month European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana visited Iran to submit a package of incentives to Tehran to persuade it to give up its uranium enrichment activities and resume talks to settle the dispute over its nuclear program.

Mottaki told reporters Iran has started examining the content of the package submitted by Solana.

"The study of the offered proposals will be done thoroughly and precisely," he stressed.

Mottaki said one of the major points in `this new move' is `paving the way for shuttle diplomacy'.

"Since the package of incentives is considered to have come from Europe, Iran will try to make contact with other European countries, in addition to the European troika and Solana.

"We consider Spain as an important member of the European Union.

Besides exchanging views with other EU members, China, Russia and the Non-Aligned Movement member states, holding talks with Spain is of great importance to Iran," added the minister.

Turning to his meeting with his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York City in early fall of 2005 and their phone calls on various occasions, he said Spain has a favorable and positive stance in the Middle East.

In response to a Spanish reporter who asked when Iran is expected to declare its view on the received proposal, he said, "After full assessment of the proposal we will let our European partners and members of the 5+1 group know the result. Then we can make a decision together.

"Through exchange of ideas, we will decide how to approach the issue, continue to solve it and put an end to the crisis." In reply to another question about Iran's view on the remarks made by the US President George W. Bush in Baghdad on Tuesday and solving the crisis in Iraq, the minister said that Iran's approach to the issue is quite clear.

"We are quite satisfied with the trend of political developments in Iraq and the recent formation of its new government. But we believe that this country is still facing two major problems," he said.

Mottaki said that its first problem is instability, insecurity and the presence of terrorist groups.

He referred to the presence of foreign troops in Iraq as the second problem and said, "We believe that both problems should be tackled at the same time.

"Iran supports national unity in Iraq, its territorial integrity, multifaceted participation of all racial, ethnic and religious groups in running the current affairs as well as their cooperation with the government," he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian minister said that in his meeting with Moratinos in addition to discussing the country's nuclear issue, Iran-Spain cooperation as well as various regional and international developments, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine were reviewed.

During his short trip to Madrid, Mottaki is also scheduled to confer with Spain's former prime minister Felipe Gonzalez, who is known as the godfather of the current ruling Socialist Party.

By officially recognizing Iran's right to access nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Spain has always underlined that the nuclear issue should be solved through diplomatic means and urges the international community to win Iran's satisfaction over the approach to settle the matter.

Mottaki's visit to Madrid is the first to this significant member of the European Union since he took office. It is taking place concurrent to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors scheduled meeting in Vienna on Iran's nuclear issue and on the threshold of the end of Iran's Ambassador Morteza Alviri's tenure in Madrid.

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