 European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton gives a press conference after the second day of talks in Istanbul. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL |
Two days of nuclear negotiations between six world powers and Iran ended Saturday with no new talks appearing on the horizon and the European Union’s foreign policy chief expressing disappointment.
“We are disappointed” by the stance taken by Iran, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, told a news conference in Istanbul, the venue of the nuclear talks that began Friday in an attempt to defuse tensions over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
“The door remains open and the choice remains in Iran’s hands,” she said.
Ashton, who was heading the P5+1 group of U.N. Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, as well as Germany, said the West expected Iran to demonstrate “a pragmatic attitude” and respond “openly.”
It remained unclear if negotiations with Iran would continue. Ashton said there were no further meetings planned, but the door remained open for Iran. The Iranian side, however, said talks would resume, but no new date or venue has been fixed.
"If there were common will, we would continue the negotiations even this afternoon," Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, told a separate news conference following Ashton.
In defiance of world powers, Jalili said Iran was maintaining the right to enrich uranium.
The deadlock appeared to stem from Iran’s precondition that uranium enrichment would not be a matter of discussion in the negotiations and its opposition to sanctions. Ashton said Tehran’s preconditions were unacceptable.
"Is defending the rights of our nation a precondition?" asked Jalili, adding that representatives from 130 different countries inspected nuclear facilities in Iran last weekend while accusing the West of turning a deaf ear to Tehran's calls.
No separate talks with US
When asked if Iran had met with the U.S. delegation separately, the negotiator dismissed the idea, saying there was no reason for Tehran to do so. He also complained that there were no negotiations over "Israel's nuclear weapons."
Touching on Turkey’s efforts to bring Iran and the world together to the negotiating table, Jalili praised Ankara's role, saying it was "constructive."
"Mr. Davutoğlu did his best," said the negotiator, referring to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.
Turkey pleased parties leaving door 'open'
Turkey, meanwhile, expressed pleasure about the parties’ desire to leave the door open for further talks to settle the nuclear dispute and added that it expected they would evaluate in detail the proposals laid down during the Istanbul negotiations.
"Our country has been engaged in contacts with the parties throughout the negotiations upon request ... Naturally, what's essential in this process is that the parties find reconciliation among themselves," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released later in the day.
"Our country, as it has done thus far, will continue exerting efforts for the continuity of the process and so that the issue is peacefully settled," it said, adding that the so-called Vienna Group – the United States, Russia and France – held a separate meeting with Iran for the first time on the sidelines of the Istanbul talks.
Though it had earlier pursued intensive diplomacy with the two sides, Turkey chose to adopt a more reserved position for the current talks after a swap proposal it made last year met with a cool reception from the West, which fears Iran’s growing low-enriched uranium stockpile and Tehran’s decision in February to escalate enrichment to 20 percent, an advance toward weapons-grade material.
Davutoğlu shifted his routine diplomatic contacts from the capital, Ankara, to Istanbul on Friday and Saturday while the two-day negotiations between Tehran and the P5+1 took place.
Turkish Foreign Ministry diplomats remained nearby so as to become involved if necessary. In previous remarks, Davutoğlu had said Turkey would be prepared to step in in the event that assistance was requested.
“We are disappointed” by the stance taken by Iran, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, told a news conference in Istanbul, the venue of the nuclear talks that began Friday in an attempt to defuse tensions over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
“The door remains open and the choice remains in Iran’s hands,” she said.
Ashton, who was heading the P5+1 group of U.N. Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, as well as Germany, said the West expected Iran to demonstrate “a pragmatic attitude” and respond “openly.”
It remained unclear if negotiations with Iran would continue. Ashton said there were no further meetings planned, but the door remained open for Iran. The Iranian side, however, said talks would resume, but no new date or venue has been fixed.
"If there were common will, we would continue the negotiations even this afternoon," Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, told a separate news conference following Ashton.
In defiance of world powers, Jalili said Iran was maintaining the right to enrich uranium.
The deadlock appeared to stem from Iran’s precondition that uranium enrichment would not be a matter of discussion in the negotiations and its opposition to sanctions. Ashton said Tehran’s preconditions were unacceptable.
"Is defending the rights of our nation a precondition?" asked Jalili, adding that representatives from 130 different countries inspected nuclear facilities in Iran last weekend while accusing the West of turning a deaf ear to Tehran's calls.
No separate talks with US
When asked if Iran had met with the U.S. delegation separately, the negotiator dismissed the idea, saying there was no reason for Tehran to do so. He also complained that there were no negotiations over "Israel's nuclear weapons."
Touching on Turkey’s efforts to bring Iran and the world together to the negotiating table, Jalili praised Ankara's role, saying it was "constructive."
"Mr. Davutoğlu did his best," said the negotiator, referring to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.
Turkey pleased parties leaving door 'open'
Turkey, meanwhile, expressed pleasure about the parties’ desire to leave the door open for further talks to settle the nuclear dispute and added that it expected they would evaluate in detail the proposals laid down during the Istanbul negotiations.
"Our country has been engaged in contacts with the parties throughout the negotiations upon request ... Naturally, what's essential in this process is that the parties find reconciliation among themselves," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released later in the day.
"Our country, as it has done thus far, will continue exerting efforts for the continuity of the process and so that the issue is peacefully settled," it said, adding that the so-called Vienna Group – the United States, Russia and France – held a separate meeting with Iran for the first time on the sidelines of the Istanbul talks.
Though it had earlier pursued intensive diplomacy with the two sides, Turkey chose to adopt a more reserved position for the current talks after a swap proposal it made last year met with a cool reception from the West, which fears Iran’s growing low-enriched uranium stockpile and Tehran’s decision in February to escalate enrichment to 20 percent, an advance toward weapons-grade material.
Davutoğlu shifted his routine diplomatic contacts from the capital, Ankara, to Istanbul on Friday and Saturday while the two-day negotiations between Tehran and the P5+1 took place.
Turkish Foreign Ministry diplomats remained nearby so as to become involved if necessary. In previous remarks, Davutoğlu had said Turkey would be prepared to step in in the event that assistance was requested.
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