Germany highlights road map for Iran talks ahead of Baghdad meeting

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Apr 17, IRNA -- The five UN veto powers plus Germany will 'soon' hold expert-levels talks with Iran geared at preparing for next month's meeting in Baghdad, German foreign ministry spokesman Andreas Peschke told the press here Monday.

There are preparations on a working-level to set the stage for the May 23 talks in Baghdad to address substantial questions on the Iranian nuclear program, according to the German diplomat.

Peschke stressed no date had yet been fixed and it was still unclear as to how the expert-level talks would be structured.

He urged all sides involved in the Iran talks to be determined and 'constructive' in their bid to resolve the nuclear dispute.

Peschke's remarks on a road map for the Baghdad meeting preceded statements by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi who called on the western powers to prepare a road map for next month's meeting in Baghdad to discuss Tehran's nuclear agenda.

'The two sides' experts should prepare a road map for clarifying what steps should be taken before next month's nuclear meeting in Baghdad, and already enabling the start of the trust-making process,' Salehi said.

The Iranian minister refrained from giving any details on what should be included in the road map but said it could facilitate and accelerate negotiations in Baghdad.

Salehi made clear it was in the interest of the West and Iran to end the nuclear dispute.

Both Iran and the six powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - hailed the outcome of talks in Istanbul on April 14 as positive and constructive.

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