'Narrow gaps' at Iran nuclear talks

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 23 November 2013 | 19.13

23 November 2013 Last updated at 06:21 ET
John Kerry

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

The BBC's James Reynolds: "The foreign ministers clearly hope to get an agreement"

The UK's foreign secretary has said "narrow gaps" remain between Iran and the six world powers meeting in Geneva to discuss Tehran's nuclear programme.

William Hague called for any deal to be thorough, after he arrived to negotiate alongside counterparts from the US, Russia, France, China and Germany.

The ministers hope to persuade Iran to stop enriching uranium in return for a loosening of sanctions.

But Iran insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium for power stations.

Tehran denies repeated claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Some US politicians say they will push for more sanctions if the talks fail.

Continue reading the main story

P5+1 wants Iran to:

  • Halt uranium enrichment at medium level of purity
  • Reduce concentration of existing stockpile of medium-enriched uranium or convert it to oxide form
  • Not allow Arak heavy-water reactor to go into operation
  • Commit to permitting more inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Iran wants the P5+1 to:

  • Recognise its "right" to enrich uranium
  • End international and unilateral sanctions
'Complicated and tough'

Negotiators have been working since Wednesday to try to find an agreement that is acceptable to both sides.

The talks had been scheduled to finish on Friday but were extended and foreign ministers joined on Saturday, amid hopes of a breakthrough.

US officials said Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in Geneva early on Saturday, had the goal of "continuing to help narrow the differences and move closer to an agreement".

Mr Kerry's participation in itself does not prove a deal is at hand, but it does show that the talks may have reached a critical stage, says the BBC's James Reynolds in Geneva.

The other ministers from the so-called P5+1 group of nations were also arriving on Saturday.

Mr Hague said that a deal would be done only if it was a "truly worthwhile agreement".

"There are narrow but important gaps, and it's very important that any agreement is thorough, detailed and it's an agreement in which the whole world can have confidence," he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, center, attends talks on Iran"s nuclear program in Geneva on Friday Nov. 22, 2013

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Jeremy Bowen says the negotiations represent "war and peace" for the Middle East

EU foreign policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton is leading the conference.

On Friday she briefly met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif for a conversation that Iran's official Irna news agency described as "complicated and tough".

'Vigorous inspections'

The Geneva meeting follows a previous round of talks earlier this month.

On that occasion, too, foreign ministers flew to Geneva to conclude the negotiations, but they went home empty-handed.

Analysts say a major sticking point is Iran's insistence on its right to enrich uranium - a process that yields material used to manufacture fuel for power stations, but can also be used in weapons.

Western diplomats are also concerned about a reactor Iran is building at Arak - an issue which disrupted the first round of talks.

US President Barack Obama has said any interim agreement would see the bulk of international and US sanctions remain, but that Iran would get sanctions relief worth between $6bn and $7bn.

The essence of the deal would involve Iran making no more advances in its nuclear programme and agreeing to "more vigorous inspections", he said.


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

'Narrow gaps' at Iran nuclear talks

Dengan url

http://cangkirtehhangat.blogspot.com/2013/11/narrow-gaps-at-iran-nuclear-talks.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

'Narrow gaps' at Iran nuclear talks

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

'Narrow gaps' at Iran nuclear talks

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger