Saturday October 10, 2009
Iran discussed on sidelines of Turkey-Armenia deal
ZURICH (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed Iran's nuclear ambitions on Saturday with her French counterpart Bernard Kouchner on the sidelines of a signing ceremony for a peace deal between Armenia and Turkey.
Kouchner told journalists he hoped for progress soon on Iran, noting Tehran had agreed at talks with major powers in Geneva to allow U.N. inspectors access to a newly disclosed nuclear site on Oct. 25.
 |
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) is welcomed by Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey before the signing ceremony of Turkey and Armenia peace deal in Zurich October 10, 2009. (REUTERS/Christian Hartmann) |
"We want peace and we are very hostile about anything that could threaten this peace," Kouchner said.
Although Iran and Western powers described talks in Geneva on Oct. 1 as a step forward, tension was highlighted before the talks when Iran test-fired missiles with ranges that could put Israel and regional U.S. bases within reach.
The Geneva talks with six world powers -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- are expected to win Iran a reprieve from more U.N. sanctions, although the West is likely to be wary of any attempt by Tehran to buy time.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, also in Zurich for the signing of the Turkey-Armenia deal, said he hoped for more progress soon with several meetings due this month on Iran.
"The core of the problem has not been resolved but the idea is to have a process of negotiations rapidly with several meetings during the month of October," he told journalists.
"The most important thing is to have serious, dynamic, rapid negotiations of the nuclear issue. That has not really started."
The issue could also come up when Clinton sees Solana and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at the signing ceremony for the Swiss-mediated deal in Zurich, which comes at the start of her trip to Britain, Russia and Ireland.
Clinton said on Thursday she was encouraged by Moscow's role in the Geneva talks and would be looking for ways to build on the meeting. Russia has been traditionally reluctant to impose sanctions on Iran.
Iran has always insisted on its right to carry out its own enrichment of uranium for a nuclear programme it says is to generate electricity. It rejects Western suspicions its real intention is to build an atomic bomb.
(Reporting by Katie Reid and Jeff Mason; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters
News Poll
- Man posted doctored photos of Nik Aziz
- Heartbreaking wait for mum
- The world just got bigger
- Sodomy II: Judge decision on recusing himself on Feb 18
- Opposition leaders decry court’s ruling
- Thumbs-up for Najib
- 5-0 for BN’s Zambry
- Weather warning for Perak, Selangor and Sabah
- Saiful files report over death threat
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- 60 lose RM25mil in gold investment scam
- Canberra to set new skills list
- MAS offers CNY bargains
- Fleet card cloning ring busted with arrest of trio
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- Vietnamese plumber fined RM10,000 over RM75 bribe
- ‘Flashing candy’ a health hazard: Health Ministry
- Sodomy II: Judge decision on recusing himself on Feb 18
- Toyota puts the brakes on problem
- Manila joins hunt for Semporna gunmen
RSS
