Berlin Gears Up For Progress At Next Iran Nuclear Talks In Vienna

Berlin, June 14, IRNA -- A German foreign ministry spokesman here Friday expressed hope that progress could be made at next weekˈs talks in Vienna between Iran and six world powers (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France plus Germany) over Tehranˈs nuclear program. Asked by IRNA about his expectations of the next round of Iran-E3 plus 3 negotiations, Martin Schaefer said the talks could be ˈan important momentˈ amid efforts to make progress as the six-month deadline of the interim accord expires on July 20. He stressed there had been no discussions yet within the E3 plus 3 to extend the deadline for the negotiations, reiterating July 20 was still the target date. Schaeferˈs remarks come as Germanyˈs chief nuclear negotiator Hans-Dieter Lucas headed to Tehran for informal talks on the Iranˈs nuclear issue. Lucas was due to meet Iranian officials on the sidelines of an international round-table discussion on Iranˈs future relations with the West, hosted by the Hamburg-based Koerber Foundation, according to Schaefer. The meeting between Lucas and the Iranian side is among a series of bilateral talks between the six countries and Iran aimed at reaching a ˈreasonable, durable and credible solutionˈ which would ensure that Tehranˈs nuclear program was not for military purposes, added the German foreign ministry spokesperson. Schaefer did not rule out the possibility that talks between Lucas and Iranian government officials would also focus on bilateral and regional issues./end