Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and European Union
foreign policy chief Javier Solana started talks on the Iranian
nuclear issue Wednesday night.
The outcome of the meeting would determine whether there was a
basis to return to the negotiating table on the issue, German
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters after the
start of the talks.
Steinmeier said he would not be involved in the talks himself
and the discussions could last late in the night.
"This meeting forms part of our effort to find a diplomatic
solution in the conflict over Iran's nuclear program," said German
Foreign Office spokesman Martin Jaeger earlier in the day.
The talks between the two have been regarded as a last chance
for Iran to agree to a suspension of uranium enrichment
activities.
Failure of the talks may put Iran facing sanctions in the UN
Security Council. The five permanent council members plus Germany
urged Iran to accept a package of incentives for halting enrichment
activities.
However, the demand was rejected by Iran. In Tehran, Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a seminar on Wednesday that Iran
would "not backdown" on its nuclear rights.
"They want to use suspension (as a measure) for propaganda, then
tell the whole world that Iran was forced by them to accept
suspension," the president was quoted as saying.
"They are making a mistake and the Iranian nation will not
backdown on its rights," he asserted.
(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2006)
