5+1 group’s dithering puts talks in question, Jalili tells Ashton
(MNA) – Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator has said that the major powers’ delay in making preparations for preliminary meetings ahead of the talks in Moscow on June 18 and 19 has put into question their determination to hold “positive” negotiations.
The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, made the remarks in a letter to European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) in nuclear negotiations with Tehran, in reference to the latest developments in correspondence exchanged between their deputies.
In his letter, which was published on Wednesday, Jalili wrote, “The other side’s delay in holding meetings between deputies and experts put into question their determination to hold positive negotiations in Moscow.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, with a clear logic and definite initiatives, is ready to engage in forward-looking negotiations for cooperation,” he stated.
Negotiating for the sake of negotiations will produce no result, Jalili said, expressing hope that the necessary preparatory meetings would be arranged soon.
According to the Persian service of ISNA, after the most recent round of talks between Iran and world powers, which was held in Baghdad on May 23 and 24, Helga Schmid, the deputy secretary general for political affairs of the European External Action Service, and Ali Baqeri, the deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, were tasked with drawing up an agenda for the Moscow talks.
According to the report, five days after the Baghdad talks, Baqeri sent a letter to Schmid, announcing Iran’s readiness to hold meetings between experts from the two sides.
In his letter, Baqeri wrote, “The success of the Moscow meeting depends on making the necessary preparations and drawing up a comprehensive agenda.”
In addition, Baqeri sent another letter to Schmid on Monday emphasizing the need to hold preliminary meetings.
Maja Kocijancic, an EU spokeswoman, said on Tuesday that the EU had replied to Bagheri, AP reported.
“Engagement on substance is key, not the process,” Kocijancic stated, adding that Ashton would discuss the issue directly with her Iranian counterpart.
However, ISNA quoted the deputy director of the press office of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council as saying on Wednesday that Schmid’s letter was not a reply to Baqeri’s letter and ran contrary to the agreements made in Baghdad.
In the letter, some viewpoints have been stated by Schmid that have nothing to do with arrangements for preliminary meetings and merely concern general issues, the official stated.