- Title: IRAN: Iran says more nuclear meetings may be needed
- Date: 19th July 2008
- Summary: (BN07) TEHRAN, IRAN (JULY 19, 2008) (REUTERS) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI ENTERING NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INNOVATION AND PROSPERITY IN TOURISM INDUSTRY PHOTOGRAPHER VARIOUS OF CONFERENCE HALL (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI SAYING: "Today the talks will be held between the sides. Today's meeting might continue with several others so that the view points of all sides can be put on the table so that we reach an agreement. So according to the preparations for today's meeting, we evaluate this today's Geneva negotiations as positive and constructive." CONFERENCE HALL
- Embargoed: 3rd August 2008 13:00
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- Story Text: Iran's foreign minister evaluates today's Geneva negotiation as positive and constructive.
Iran's foreign minister said talks with world powers on the country's disputed nuclear programme due to start in Geneva later on Saturday (July 19) were a positive step but that more meetings may be needed.
"Today the talks will be held between the sides. Today's meeting might continue with several others so that the view points of all sides can be put on the table so that we reach an agreement. So according to the preparations for today's meeting, we evaluate this today's Geneva negotiations as positive and constructive," Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters in Tehran when he was leaving a national conference on innovation and prosperity in tourism.
At the one-day meeting in Geneva, major world powers will sound out Iran's readiness to negotiate an end to the long dispute over nuclear work the West fears is aimed at making bombs.
Senior U.S. diplomat William Burns will join European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and officials from Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China for the meeting with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili.
The unprecedented participation of a senior U.S. official in the meeting, together with Iranian comments playing down the likelihood of an attack by the United States and Israel, has raised hopes of progress.
But the Islamic Republic, which says its atomic activities are solely aimed at producing electricity, has repeatedly rejected the powers' key demand that it suspends uranium enrichment, which can have both civilian and military uses. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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