Iranian officials yesterday voiced their satisfaction at the latest
high-level talks between major countries and Tehran over its controversial
nuclear programs in Geneva, Switzerland.
"Holding any talks is considered a step forward," the official IRNA news
agency quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying. "Yesterday's
negotiation is regarded as one of these forward-moving negotiations," he added.
He was referring to the talks between Iranian top nuclear negotiator Saeed
Jalili and European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana Saturday in
Geneva, in the presence of U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns and senior
diplomats from China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.
Solana told a press conference after the talks that "there is always progress
in these talks, but insufficient," adding the one-day meeting was
"constructive."
He voiced hope that the long-running Iran nuclear issue should be solved
through cooperation instead of confrontation.
However, U.S. spokesman Sean McCormack warned after the talks that Iran
should either accept the incentives, or face "further isolation."
Ahmadinejad rejected any threats against the Islamic Republic, saying the
country would continue its nuclear drive.
"We expect threats and hostility from the enemies side, but we are getting
stronger day by day and keep moving forward," the Iranian president said.
The United States had indeed injected some hope of progress at the nuclear
talks by sending Burns to the one-day meeting in Geneva, which was the
highest-level contact between Tehran and Washington since 1979.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that the presence
of U.S. representative in Geneva talks prepared an opportunity for Washington to
become aware of Iran's views directly.
"Such a move by the U.S. administration can be considered a positive
measure," IRNA quoted Mottaki as saying.
Hassan Rowhani, Iran's former top nuclear negotiator, also said on Sunday
that the presence of U.S. special envoy in Iran nuclear talks in Geneva was
regarded as a U-turn in U.S. diplomacy.
"The shift in U.S. diplomacy has created a very good opportunity for Iran and
we should do our best to make use of it," he said.
However, the White House has reiterated that Washington would not join
full-blown talks unless Iran gave up uranium enrichment activities.
Even though Burns' meeting with Jalili on Saturday was the highest-level
contact between the two nations since 1979, it did not signal a significant
shift in Washington's policy toward Iran, some analysts said.
Iran gave no clear answer to the package of incentives for suspending its
nuclear program, though the country is asked to make a response within two
weeks.
"We have not got an answer to the most important issue," Solana said on
Saturday. "We are looking forward to an answer to these questions in a couple of
weeks."
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kisliak, who also attended the talks
in Geneva, was quoted by the Russian Ria-Novosti news agency as saying that he
too expected a response from Iran in two weeks.
The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying todevelop
nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied
the U.S. charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes
only.
On June 14, Solana handed the offer of incentives to the Iranian authorities
on behalf of UN Security Council permanent members -- France, Britain, Russia,
China and the United States --plus Germany (Group 5+1), in a bid to persuade
Iran to halt uranium enrichment.
Iran has also presented its own package of proposals, which is aimed to help
resolve regional and international problems, including Iran's nuclear issue.
Jalili, in his meeting with Kisliak in Geneva on Sunday, said that
commonalties of the roadmaps proposed by the two sides can be the basis for
future talks between Iran and major powers, according to IRNA's report.
"The two proposed roadmaps have good common points for continuation of talks
and can serve as a good basis for future activities," Jalili said. "The points
of difference between the roadmaps are also worth discussing."