West Softens Tone on Iran's Proposals
(FNA)- The western powers toned down their stance on Iran's proposals after the Thursday talks, Iran's chief negotiator in talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) said.
Iran and the G5+1 held several rounds of talks in Baghdad on Wednesday and Thursday.
In the first session of the talks in Baghdad on Wednesday morning, Iran presented the world powers with a comprehensive package of step-by-step proposals, which offered the West practical confidence-building measures.
Speaking to FNA after a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Catherin Ashton in Baghdad tonight, Jalili said, "The stance of the G5+1 on Iran's proposed package softened after today's talks."
Earlier during the press conference, Jalili told reporters that Tehran's offers to the West during the Wednesday morning session were based on a similar package that Iran presented last year and included three pivots, covering "international security, political-regional security and economic issues".
He further noted his correspondence with EU foreign policy chief Catherin Ashton - who presides over the delegations of the six world powers (the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) in negotiations with Tehran - prior to the last month talks in Istanbul, and added, "Ashton announced that they were ready to pursue the talks on the basis of our proposals along with nuclear talks, and this came to become the axis of the talks in Istanbul."
Yesterday, the Iranian team of negotiators asked the world powers to express their view about Iran's offer swiftly and explicitly, but the G5+1 delegations have apparently asked for some more time to contemplate the offers.
"The G5+1 delegations will go back to their respective capitals for further consultations over the issues raised at the Baghdad negotiations with Iran," Ashton said during the joint press conference with Jalili this evening.
The EU foreign policy chief further said that the six world powers and Iran would move on the basis of a step-by-step plan to build each other's trust.