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TEHRAN: Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili
expressed optimism on Friday that weekend talks attended for the
first time by the United States over their nuclear standoff would be
constructive, provided Washington came with the right approach.
“What is important for us is
with what approach they come to the talks. If it is with a
constructive approach, and that they refrain from past mistakes,
then for sure we will have constructive talks,” he was quoted as
saying by the official IRNA news agency before leaving Tehran for
Geneva.
Jalili on Saturday is to meet the
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana to discuss a
package of incentives offered by world powers to Tehran.
And, in a major policy shift by
Washington, US Undersecretary of State William Burns will be at the
talks.
US officials said this week that
the “new tactic” amounted to sending a signal to Iran that
Washington wanted a negotiated settlement to the deadlock over
Iran’s refusal to bow to international demands.
Washington has long said it will
not negotiate with Iran until it first suspends enrichment and
insisted on Wednesday that Burns was traveling to Geneva to listen
to Iran’s response and not negotiate.
Nonetheless, it will be the first
time that the United States, which severed relations with Iran in
1980 after the Islamic revolution, will be present in the
negotiations aimed at persuading Tehran to freeze uranium
enrichment.
On Thursday, Iranian Foreign
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also expressed hope that the imminent
talks would produce “positive developments” and voiced
satisfaction at US involvement.
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