Salehi: Consultations Underway To Arrange Nuclear Talks With G5+1

Tehran, March 3, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Friday that consultations are underway to arrange nuclear talks with Group 5+1, hoping that the group will announce its view about the venue for the talks in the next one or two days. Salehi made the remarks while talking to reporters after he cast his vote for the Majlis elections on Friday. He further added that the group was about to declare its opinion about the venue last Sunday but it seems that it has not yet arrived at a conclusion in this regard. Referring to his talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Salehi said, “I personally am interested in Istanbul to be the venue.” He further said that any delay in the talks has nothing to do with the talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, because the talks with Group 5+1 are of political nature while negotiations with the agency should have technical and legal overtones. Salehi reaffirmed commitment to holding talks with Group 5+1. Group 5+1 comprises Russia, China, the US, France and Britain (permanent members of UN Security Council) plus Germany./nd