Jalili: Istanbul talks 'long and useful'

Jalili: Istanbul talks 'long and useful'
Thu May 16, 2013 13:45:20

Secretary of Iranˈs Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili said on Thursday that nuclear talks with EU'S foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton were "long and useful" and that both sides decided to continue the discussions.

Addressing reporters at a press conference in Istanbul, Jalili said that today most countries agree with the continuation of Iran's peaceful nuclear program; stressing that the Western powers are unable to deprive Iran of its legitimate rights.


"Last night, as Lady Ashton said, we had a long, useful talk," Jalili said. "We had the chance to go into details. We decided to continue working and keep on our talks."


“We will soon hold talks again to set a date for the meeting,” Jalili added.

 

Ashton, representing the six world powers which make up the P5+1 group, also said she had “useful” discussions with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator in Istanbul on May 15.


“We will now reflect on how to go on to the next stage of the process,” she said in a statement.

 

“We will be in touch shortly,” she added.

 

Ahead of the Wednesday talks, Jalili had said Iran was still waiting for answers to the proposals it made to the P5+1 group in April.

 

During the April meeting, Iran presented the P5+1 with the details of its proposal “to launch a new round of cooperation” between the two sides, SNSC Undersecretary Ali Baqeri said on April 5.

 

Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers - Russia, China, France, Britain, and the US plus Germany - have held several rounds of talks, mainly over the Iranian nuclear energy program. The latest rounds of negotiations between the two sides were held in the Kazakh city of Almaty on April 5-6 and February 26-27.

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