Crunch Iran-EU nuclear talks to start in Berlin

BERLIN – AFP- Iran’s top nuclear negotiator was to hold crunch talks with the EU’s foreign policy chief here Wednesday in a final chance for the Islamic republic to agree to a nuclear deal offered by world powers.

The German government said the talks would begin at 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), but did not disclose the location.

“This meeting is part of our efforts to find a diplomatic solution,” German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said.

Solana’s spokeswoman and an Iranian source close to the negotiations also confirmed the meeting would take place.

“Mr Ali Larijani is in Berlin with his delegation to meet Mr Solana,” the Iranian source told AFP.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said earlier that the talks had been supposed to take place in New York but were switched to Europe because Larijani had visa problems.

The discussions have been billed as a last opportunity for Iran to agree to a suspension of sensitive uranium enrichment activities as demanded by the UN Security Council and stave off the threat of UN sanctions.

Mottaki struck an upbeat note ahead of the talks.

“Since there is an atmosphere of understanding between Iran and Europe, we can be optimistic on the results of the meeting,” he was quoted as saying by state television.

The deal offered by the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany asks Iran to accept a package of incentives in exchange for it freezing enrichment work the West fears could be channelled into producing nuclear arms.

The official news agency IRNA said Larijani could also use the occasion to meet German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier but Steinmeier’s ministry said he would not take part in the meeting.

Key to the success of Wednesday’s talks is the question of whether Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment for a limited period of time before or even during full negotiations with world powers.

However there was confusion over whether Iran is considering such a step.European diplomats said Larijani made an offer at his last talks with Solana on September 9-10 in Vienna, but several Iranian officials have denied any suspension is on the cards.

“Such issues will not be addressed in the next negotiations,” Atomic Energy Organization deputy head Mohammad Saeedi told the Iranian student news agency ISNA on Tuesday.

But the Washington Times also reported Tuesday that Iran was close to agreeing to a secret deal that would see it suspend uranium enrichment for 90 days in order for additional talks to take place with European nations.

The US State Department spokesman meanwhile spoke of “hopeful” signs from Iran but warned sanctions were still on tap if diplomacy failed.

The repeated delays for the latest Larijani-Solana meeting appear to reflect intense diplomatic efforts to ensure the nuclear dossier does not go to the Security Council.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad meanwhile again hit out at the West for what he described as its failure to allow Iran access to peaceful nuclear technology.

“Today the people will not accept that some countries have warehouses full of nuclear weapons and then tell others that you cannot have a (nuclear) fuel cycle since you may deviate,” he said in a speech.

Iran’s uranium enrichment is particularly controversial as it can be used to make fuel for a nuclear power station but in highly enriched form can also be employed to make the explosive core of a nuclear bomb.

Iran insists that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful energy needs,vehemently rejecting US allegations that it is seeking to manufacture nuclear weapons.

The negotiations were given a last chance after Washington, under pressure from Europe and China, backed down on its demand for immediate sanctions against Iran for failing to meet an August 31 UN deadline to freeze enrichment.

According to European diplomats, Western powers have set the start of October as a final deadline for Iran to give its definitive response to the Security Council offer.