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World Powers And Iran Meet For Nuclear Talks

April 05, 2013

by RFE/RL

World powers and Iran are holding a fresh round of talks on Tehran's controversial nuclear program in Kazakhstan.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is representing the so-called P5+1 -- the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany -- expressed "cautious optimism" ahead of the two-day meeting in Almaty, which started on April 5.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalil said the chances of a breakthrough hinge on the world powers recognizing Iran's right to enrich uranium.

"We think our talks...can go forward with one word. That is the acceptance of the rights of Iran, particularly the right to [uranium] enrichment."

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Western diplomat said Iran has yet to give a "clear and concrete response" to a proposal made during a first meeting in Almaty in February.

Iranian representatives at the talks say they have presented their own proposals for resolving the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.

The announcement was made by Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy nuclear negotiator, shortly after negotiations began in Almaty

The P5+1 powers are meeting with Iran for the second time in five weeks in Almaty.

At the first meeting in February, they offered to lighten some economic sanctions on Iran if Tehran agreed to suspend higher-grade uranium production.

An Iranian diplomat told the ISNA news agency that the two sides agreed in February on a timetable of six months -- leading up to Iran's June 14 presidential election -- to explore further steps.

Some analysts predict no breakthrough before that election.

Russia's foreign ministry spokesman voiced skepticism on the eve of the start of the talks.

Aleksandr Lukashevich told reporters in Moscow that the negotiations have made little progress so far.

The talks come amid warnings from Israel that it could bomb Iranian nuclear installations if diplomacy and sanctions fail to curb Tehran's nuclear progress.

Iran has denied it is secretly developing nuclear weapons as the West claims, and says its nuclear program is solely for energy generation and medical research.

With reporting by dpa and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/iran-almaty-talks-/24948330.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.