TEHRAN, 14 December 2004 — Iran said yesterday it was optimistic ahead of crucial talks with the European Union aimed at striking a long-term accord that would ease concerns over the country’s nuclear program.
“We are optimistic over the results of the negotiations given the good faith that we have shown and they have shown,” government spokesman and Cabinet secretary Abdollah Ramazanzadeh told reporters.
“I think that the negotiations will move forward in a positive manner,” he added, and played down fears here that Britain, France and Germany would adopt “extremist positions influenced by third countries” — a reference to the United States.
The European Union and Iran were beginning talks yesterday on giving Tehran trade, technology and security rewards for suspending crucial nuclear activities that could be used to make weapons.
The process is fraught with difficulties since Iran says its suspension of uranium enrichment, a key step in making nuclear fuel, is a temporary measure designed to show its intentions are peaceful while EU negotiators Britain, France and Germany want the freeze to become permanent.
In addition, Ramazanzadeh said Iran was also sticking to its demand that 20 centrifuges — the machines used to enrich uranium — be exempted from its current suspension of enrichment activities and be used for “research”.
“The question of halting research is not on the agenda,” he said.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Nov. 29 decided against referring Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions after Tehran agreed with the three EU states to suspend its enrichment program.
Iran accepted the deal amid US threats to send the matter to the Security Council in New York.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Iran must respect the spirit as well as the letter of an agreed nuclear fuel cycle freeze.
“What is important is that each side accepts both the spirit as well as the letter” of an agreement on Iran suspending Iranian enrichment reached in Paris last month, Straw told reporters in Brussels ahead of the meeting between the two sides.
Straw, along with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, were to meet later yesterday with Iran nuclear chief Hassan Rowhani to discuss the Paris agreement.
