EU gives Iran extra time to clarify ambiguity on nuclear response

The European Union will give Iran extra time, probably two weeks, to clarify ambiguity on its nuclear response to a package of incentives, local media in Helsinki reported on Saturday.

The decision was made as the 25 EU foreign ministers discussed Iran's nuclear issue in Lappeenranta, southern Finland, on Saturday, two days after the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reported Iran had failed to meet the U.N.'s deadline of Aug. 31 to halt uranium enrichment.

The foreign ministers reiterated at the meeting their full support for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who will hold talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani early next week to clarify ambiguity on Iran's nuclear response to the offer of incentives by the world's six major powers.

In its 21-page response to the offer by Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany, Iran refused to stop enrichment but said was ready for more talks.

Reuters quoted Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel as saying that the foreign ministers gave Solana two weeks for his clarification talks.

However, Solana told reporters after the two-day EU foreign ministers' meeting that there was no deadline.

But he said at the same time that he would not need extensive sessions with Iran. "I hope that it will be very short. We don't need many meetings," he said.

Diplomats said the EU ministers wanted to give diplomacy another chance before any sanctions were slapped on Iran, although Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday that Iran would not give up its right to nuclear technology.

The EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Sept. 15 on the nuclear standoff, when Solana will report back to them.

The six major powers, whose package of incentives has failed to persuade Iran to halt enrichment, will meet in Berlin, Germany, next Thursday to discuss the way forward on Iran's nuclear issue.

The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, a charge repeatedly denied by Tehran.

Iran insists that its nuclear program is aimed at generating power to meet surging domestic demand.

Source: Xinhua