TEHERAN: Incentives designed to persuade Iran to curb its nuclear programme contain "positive steps" and "ambiguities," Iran's top nuclear negotiator said yesterday.

Speaking on state television after receiving the proposals from EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Ali Larijani said they had "constructive" talks and Iran would respond after studying the incentives.

The proposals, which the Big Five of the UN Security Council and Germany agreed on Friday, represent a major effort to persuade Iran to step back from uranium enrichment a process that can be used for making atomic bombs as well as fuel for nuclear power stations.

Iran's initial reaction was relatively upbeat, with none of its usual insistence that it would never give up its right to enrichment.

"The proposals contain positive steps and also some ambiguities, which must be removed," Larijani said.

Larijani did not identify the "ambiguities," but he said he had discussed them with Solana and that more talks would be required.

"We hope we will have negotiations and deliberations again after we have carefully studied the proposals to reach a balanced and logical result," Larijani said.

"This is a framework of co-operation that requires taking careful steps from the outset," he said.

Solana, who arrived in Teheran on Monday night, met Larijani for 2 hours at the Supreme National Security Council building in central Teheran.

"The meeting has been very useful," Solana said afterwards in comments aired on Iran's state-run TV's English-language channel.

"I have a feeling that it has been very, very constructive," he said, adding that the two sides would have contacts in the coming days on the proposals.

Solana told reporters earlier at Teheran airport the West wanted "a new relationship" with Iran and that the package would "allow us to engage in negotiations based on trust, respect and confidence."

Details of the proposals have not been made public, but an early draft indicated that if Iran agrees to abandon uranium enrichment, the world would offer it help in building nuclear reactors, a guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel and European Airbus aircraft.

The United States has reportedly sweetened the offer by saying it would lift some bilateral sanctions on Iran, such as a ban on Boeing passenger aircraft and related parts.

Iran's commercial airline fleet is largely made up of ageing Boeings purchased before the 1979 revolution. It frequently complains that the US ban on parts has undermined safety and blamed the ban for several deadly crashes in the past. US pressure has also prevented Iranian attempts to purchase new Airbus aircraft.

In a major policy shift, Washington has also said it will join negotiations with Iran if the country suspends enrichment.

Iran welcomed the idea of direct negotiations with the United States but rejected the US precondition that it suspend enrichment.

Source: China Daily