Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said in London on
Friday that it was "unacceptable" for Iran to give up its right for
nuclear enrichment.
"Iran is a member of the NPT (Nonproliferation Treaty), which
means it has the right to enrich uranium," Jalili told reporter
after five hours of talks with European Union foreign policy chief
Javier Solana in London.
"It is unacceptable for Iran to abandon its right to enrichment
when it is carrying out its obligations," he said.
Jalili said the discussions with Solana were "positive" and
there would be further talks next month.
"We had positive negotiations with Mr Solana and negotiations
will continue next month," Jalili said.
Iran's chief negotiator said that Iran would continue its atomic
program even if the United Nations Security Council were to impose
new sanctions on Iran.
"Iran has removed concerns and cooperated with the IAEA
(International Atomic Energy Agency). But if some countries want to
use the U.N. Security Council and its resolutions to stop Iran's
atomic work, surely they will not be successful," Jalili said.
"They have adopted three resolutions and haven't achieved
anything, and Iran has in the meantime enjoyed significant
technological success," Saeed Jalili told reporters after talks
with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
"They have not succeeded in preventing Iran from mastering
uranium enrichment. If they want to continue on the same path, they
will not succeed," he added.
However, Solana said that he was "disappointed" after talks with
Jalili.
"I have to admit that after five hours of meetings I expected
more. I am disappointed," said Solana.
The U.N. Security Council has already issued two sanction
resolutions against Iran's nuclear program since last December, but
both of them failed to persuade the Islamic Republic to give up
uranium enrichment work.
On Thursday, France confirmed that a meeting will be held here
over the weekend among high ranking diplomats of six major
countries involved in the discussions over the Iranian nuclear
program.
The meeting will be attended by senior foreign affairs officials
from the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany,
and a representative from the European Union (EU).
The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday the holding of
this meeting in Paris, saying it will be represented by U.S.
Undersecretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns.
The group of six is demanding Iran suspend sensitive nuclear
activities, officially described as civilian in character but which
could lead to a military nuclear program.
The Europeans and the Americans are however adopting a more
hard-line position against Iran than China and Russia, both in
regard to the sanctions and the assessment of the Iranian
threat.
(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2007)
