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EU, Iran To Meet For Nuclear Talks

September 5, 2006 -- European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani are expected to meet this week in a bid to avert a confrontation over Iran's nuclear program.

Reports quote officials as saying Solana and Larijani have tentatively agreed to meet on September 6 in Vienna, Austria, but that this could still change.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned on September 4 that the United Nations Security Council may have to take action if Solana's talks fail to make progress in persuading Iran to halt uranium-enrichment work, as demanded by the Security Council.

"We agreed that Solana will have another meeting with the Iranians, but we have to be skeptical about whether it will work after UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's meetings in Tehran," Steinmeier said. "If another conversation with Solana does not bring about a change in their attitude, then more negotiations will certainly not bring us further. Then, we have to refer this matter to the Security Council."

Annan, who concluded a visit to Iran on September 3, urged the world on September 4 to avoid confrontation with Iran, saying it would not be in Iran's or the world's interest.

(Reuters, AP)

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org