French FM Notes Progress on Iran Nuclear Program Despite Disagreements
16:58 07.03.2015(updated 17:55 07.03.2015)
French Foreign Minister Fabius said at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Kerry that differences remain in the talks on Iranian nuclear issue.
PARIS (Sputnik) – Certain progress on Iran's nuclear program deal has been made, but persisting disagreements must be overcome, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Saturday.
'We have discussed the course of negotiations on the Iranian dossier. There is progress in certain areas, but differences and gaps that need to be filled remain, so there is work still to be done,' Fabius said at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Kerry, for his part, said it was 'up to Iran' to prove that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful.
France and the United States, along with Russia, France, the United Kingdom, China and Germany are part of the so-called P5+1 group that is trying to reach a comprehensive deal ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program.
In November 2013, P5+1 and Iran managed to hammer out a provisional agreement. The group planned to arrive at a final deal last November but failed to do so, moving the deadline to July 2015.
Western powers hope to have a political framework agreement by the end of March.
The meeting between Kerry and Fabius came on the heels of the P5+1 and Iran's talks in the Swiss resort of Montreux earlier in the week. The the next round of talks on the Iranian nuclear program is expected to be held on March 15-20.
The nature of Tehran's nuclear program has been a sticking point for decades, resulting in numerous sanctions at the hands of the UN Security Council, the United States, the European Union and a number of other countries.
Iran continues to insist its civilian nuclear development does not contain plans to develop nuclear weapons.
© Sputnik
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