Iran's president tells Annan no uranium enrichment halt ahead of talks

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday told visiting UN chief Kofi Annan that Iran would not suspend its uranium enrichment work ahead of talks.

"On the nuclear issue, the president reaffirmed to me Iran's preparedness and commitment to hold negotiations," Annan told a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

But Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iran would not accept suspension of uranium enrichment before negotiations, said Annan, who had a meeting with the Iranian president earlier in the day.

The UN chief said he had a better understanding of Iran's stance on the nuclear issue and would discuss it with key members of the Security Council.

Annan said he hoped all parties concerned would find a way to move forward at a planned meeting between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani this week.

For his part, Mottaki said Iran's stance on its nuclear program was transparent enough and Annan had gotten familiar with it.

The Iranian foreign minister said now it was the turn of world powers to consider Iran's response to their package aimed at resolving the nuclear issue.

"If there is a need for any time for their consideration, we can provide them with it," Mottaki said.

Mottaki also said that UN Security Council Resolution 1696 was a "mistake" made under the pressure of the United States and its allies, and hence "a black mark registered in their records."

On the Lebanon issue, Annan said, "He (Ahmadinejad) reaffirmed his complete support for the implementation of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1701."

An Israel-Hezbollah fighting erupted on July 12 after two Israeli soldiers were captured and eight others killed by the Lebanese Shiite group in a cross-border attack. The conflict ended on Aug. 14 under the resolution.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said earlier in the day that Iran hoped to reach a consensus over its nuclear issue after the meeting between Larijani and Solana.

"The situation would be more clear after the meeting and we hope to reach a consensus," Asefi told a press briefing.

Solana is expected to hold talks with Larijani this week to clarify ambiguities in Iran's response to an incentive package offered by the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.

Asefi said the exact date and place of the meeting were yet to be decided but it will be "within the next few days."

The package includes both incentives aimed at persuading Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and possible sanctions if Iran does not comply.

Larijani delivered Tehran's written response to the package on Aug. 22 and urged the six nations to get back to negotiations, saying Iran was ready to start "serious talks" over its nuclear program.

The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1696 in late July, urging Tehran to suspend by Aug. 31 all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, or face prospect of sanctions.

On Thursday, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei presented a report to the Security Council, saying "Iran has continued enriching uranium despite a UN nuclear deadline for it to suspend or face possible sanctions."

U.S. President George W. Bush declared Thursday that "there must be consequences" for Iran for refusing to stop enriching uranium.

John Bolton, Washington's ambassador to the UN, chose to be more specific, saying the Security Council must now draw up sanctions against Iran.

The European Union, however, agreed on Saturday to give Iran extra time, probably two weeks, to clarify ambiguities in its response to the six-nation package.

Source: Xinhua