TURKEY: EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton wants progress in Iran nuclear talks/ Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri to visit Turkey

Record ID: 575102

  • Title: TURKEY: EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton wants progress in Iran nuclear talks/ Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri to visit Turkey
  • Date: 14th January 2011
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 13, 2011) (REUTERS) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU AND EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS CHIEF CATHERINE ASHTON ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS CHIEF CATHERINE ASHTON SAYING: "Actually I'm not going to comment on statements to come out in the runup to the negotiations. Suffice to say I'm very clear that what I want to see is progress next week. We've set out very clearly from our perspective what we are discussing and let's see what we get to. And if I may just comment on your second question, I think it's very important to play the role of host actually and it's a recognition of the significance of our relationship that I am delighted that we are in Istanbul." PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS CHIEF CATHERINE ASHTON SAYING: "Our purpose in meeting is to now look for tangible, credible ways in which we can move forward and I am not going to go into any detail that's for the negotiations themselves but I think there is a strong commitment for us to be here in order to try and show progress in tackling the issue of great concern to us which is the issue of nuclear weapons and Iran. So we hope that in the course of our time here, and we've set sight sufficient time to be able to have serious dialogue, that we will be able to make progress and I very much look forward to achieving that." JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU SAYING: "Mr. Hariri will come to Ankara late tonight, we have taken this decision after today's talks. Tomorrow morning he will meet Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara. Together, we will assess the steps to be taken. Regardless of which political view they have, which idea that they support or which religion that they belong to, all Lebanese people are friends of Turkey. We see stability in Lebanon as important as our own stability. With this in mind we carried out an intensive phone diplomacy during last week. Tomorrow we will listen to the approach of Mr. Hariri about this subject and we will continue to be in contact with all interested parties about the steps to be taken." CAMERA CREWS FILMING ASHTON AND DAVUTOGLU SHAKING HANDS ASHTON AND DAVUTOGLU LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 29th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4FOKQT4H5KYDE7VXHW5LC7B2P
  • Story Text: EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton says she wants to see progress in nuclear talks with Iran. Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu says European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said on Thursday (January 13)that she expected progress in negotiations next week between world powers and Iran over its nuclear program.
    "Suffice to say I'm very clear that what I want to see is progress next week. We've set out very clearly from our perspective what we are discussing and let's see what we get to," Ashton said at a news conference in Istanbul.
    The talks, set for Jan 21-22 in Istanbul between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising the five permanent members of the U.N Security Council and Germany, were agreed last month in Geneva, when the two sides resumed long-suspended negotiations.
    Earlier this week, Tehran's nuclear ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh was quoted as saying the talks in Istanbul could be the "last chance" for the West because Tehran's atomic capability is improving.
    Speaking at the same news conference Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Lebanon prime Minister Saad al-Harriri is expected to arrive in Ankara on Friday.
    "Tomorrow morning he will meet Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara. Together, we will assess the steps to be taken," said Davutoglu.
    Hariri's 14-month-old "unity government" collapsed on Wednesday after the resignation of Hezbollah ministers and their allies.
    The resignations followed the failure of regional powers Saudi Arabia and Syria to forge a deal to reduce tension over the U.N. backed investigation into the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father Rafik al Hariri, which is expected to indict Hezbollah members.
    will be travelling to the Turkish capital on Friday.
    European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said on Thursday (January 13)that she expected progress in negotiations next week between world powers and Iran over its nuclear program.
    "Suffice to say I'm very clear that what I want to see is progress next week. We've set out very clearly from our perspective what we are discussing and let's see what we get to," Ashton said at a news conference in Istanbul.
    The talks, set for Jan 21-22 in Istanbul between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising the five permanent members of the U.N Security Council and Germany, were agreed last month in Geneva, when the two sides resumed long-suspended negotiations.
    Earlier this week, Tehran's nuclear ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh was quoted as saying the talks in Istanbul could be the "last chance" for the West because Tehran's atomic capability is improving.
    Speaking at the same news conference Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Lebanon prime Minister Saad al-Harriri is expected to arrive in Ankara on Friday.
    "Tomorrow morning he will meet Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara. Together, we will assess the steps to be taken," said Davutoglu.
    Hariri's 14-month-old "unity government" collapsed on Wednesday after the resignation of Hezbollah ministers and their allies.
    The resignations followed the failure of regional powers Saudi Arabia and Syria to forge a deal to reduce tension over the U.N. backed investigation into the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father Rafik al Hariri, which is expected to indict Hezbollah members.
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