Ashton: G5+1 Ready to Discuss Iran's Proposals in Moscow Talks
(FNA)- EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in a phone conversation with Iran's top negotiator Saeed Jalili announced the world powers' preparedness to discuss Tehran's five-item proposals during the upcoming talks in Moscow.
"We are ready to hold talks in Moscow on Iran's 5-item proposals (presented) in Baghdad, which included nuclear and non-nuclear issues," Ashton said during the phone conversation with Jalili on Monday night.
She underlined the necessity for success of the Moscow talks, and expressed the hope that Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (Group 5+1) could reach common points based on Iran and the world powers' proposals.
On April 14 and after a 15-month hiatus, Iran and the six world powers resumed talks in Istanbul, Turkey, and agreed to meet again in the Iraqi capital on May 23.
The Baghdad talks on Iran's nuclear standoff were concluded last month with a plan to hold another round of talks in Moscow on June 18-19. Iran presented a number of proposals to the world powers in the Baghdad meetings.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said earlier this month that Iran will continue offering constructive proposals during the talks with the world powers.
Ahmadinejad underlined that Iran would continue to offer "constructive suggestions" and engage in negotiations in an effort to prove its "nuclear rights".
Analysts believe that the two sides' agreement to continue the talks should be seen as a sign of hope for resolving the long-standing standoff between Tehran and the West.
The Iranian president meantime reiterated that the political approach of the Western powers to the Islamic Republic is the main obstacle to the resolution of the standoff over Iran's nuclear energy program.