Salehi Urges Ashton To Speedily Announce Results Of Lobbying With 5+1 Members

Tehran, April 27, IRNA – Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi urged the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to speedily announce the results of her lobbying with member states of the 5+1. Salehi made the remarks in a meeting with his Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt on the sidelines of the Third Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference 2013 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Salehi said Ms Ashton has to contact with the Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in no time to inform him of her lobbies with the member states of the sextet to make it possible to work on the outcome of the two rounds of talks held in Almaty. He stressed that situation is apt for interaction and dialogue, saying that no time is to be wasted. The foreign minister further noted that the issue of nuclear program is completely separated from that of the upcoming presidential elections in Iran. During the meeting, the two foreign ministers went in detail thorough the Iranian nuclear issue including the two rounds of talks held in Almaty and reviewed issues pertaining to Afghanistan and Syria as well. Salehi and Bildt also stressed the need to boost humanitarian aid to the Syrian nation especially through the Red Cross and the UN food programs to reduce the plight of the people there./end