Iran 's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani (C) leaves a
hotel in Madrid September 7, 2006. Larijani said on Thursday he would meet
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in two days. -Xinhua
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Thursday that a meeting with
Iran's top nuclear negotiator over Tehran's nuclear program had been set for
Saturday, according to reports from the Danish capital Copenhagen.
"I have said it (the meeting) will be in two days," Solana told reporters
during a visit to Denmark.
He didn't say where the talks were to take place. "I prefer not to name the
place because there are difficult negotiations underway," Solana said.
The meeting between Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani had
been scheduled for Wednesday but Iran on Wednesday abruptly announced that the
meeting was postponed.
The European Union is hoping to give diplomacy one last chance to persuade
Tehran to halt uranium enrichment in return for a package of incentives.
Iran, which has insisted on its right to a peaceful nuclear energy
development program, defied an Aug. 31 deadline set by the UN Security Council
to freeze its uranium enrichment.
The United States, which has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear
weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, is now seeking to impose
sanctions on Iran for its refusal to comply with the UN Security Council
resolution.
Senior negotiators of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United
States met in Berlin on Thursday in an attempt to figure out how to handle
Tehran, with the United States pushing for UN sanctions.
Larijani was in Spain on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero.