EU trio call off Iran nuclear program talks
7:40 AM August 24

European powers have called off August 31 talks with Iran over its nuclear program, France says, marking a breakdown in two years of negotiations with the Iranian Government to halt its sensitive atomic work.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei says talks on a formal European proposal made earlier this month would not go ahead because Iran had resumed certain nuclear work in breach of a promise to freeze it while talks lasted.

Iran shrugged off the cancellation, but the US Government voiced support for the decision.

Britain, France and Germany, acting on behalf of the European Union, put the proposal to Iran in an effort to persuade it to give up nuclear activities the West suspects may be preliminary steps towards making atomic weapons.

"There will, in fact, be no negotiations meeting on August 31 since the Iranians have decided to suspend application of the Paris Agreement," Mr Mattei said.

Suspension

Under the Paris Agreement, reached in November 2004, Iran voluntarily suspended all work related to atomic fuel production while negotiating a permanent deal with the EU.

Earlier this month the EU trio offered a package of economic, technical and political measures in exchange for a permanent suspension of Iranian efforts to make nuclear fuel.

Iran rejected the proposals, which also envisaged the August 31 talks, and angered the EU and the United States by resuming uranium conversion at its Isfahan plant on August 8.

On Tuesday, senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Mousavian said Tehran had merely carried out a threat delivered to Britain, Germany and France in Geneva in May.

- Reuters

Source: Reuters
 
 
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