Strasbourg, 14/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - A high-ranking European diplomat, on Wednesday 13 June, revealed the concern of the EU over negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme. “Iran feels again rather self-assertive in terms of 'we can afford not to move at this stage'”, the diplomat said listing high oil prices, doubts about EU resolve on implementing the oil boycott on 1 July, internal rivalries and possible “miscalculation” as reasons for that confidence.
Deeming the Baghdad meeting to have been “rather disappointing” because the chief Iranian negotiator was not prepared to make any commitments on substantive matters, the diplomat said: “It's not about a breakthrough or no breakthrough, it's about the level of serious engagement which will lead eventually to a breakthrough”. “Whoever expected a breakthrough at the second or third meeting probably had some illusions”, he added, showing no sign of greater confidence on the talks between Iran and the IAEA. “What is worrying is that, at the same time, the IAEA track is stalled. It seems to be like a mirror image of what is happening in our negotiations. Engagement on procedure but no commitment on substantive issues”, he said.
The EU wants to remain hopeful, however. The diplomat stated that the EU is “very much determined to pursue this (negotiation) process as long as there is momentum to pursue it and as long as there is commitment (from Iran) to pursue the nuclear issue in substance”. But, of course, there is a certain time limit. “If there is a collective assessment that it is not going anywhere, we will have to say no talks for talks' sake”, he made plain. EU High Representative Catherine Ashton is “prepared to stay as long as it takes” at the meeting in Moscow on 18-19 June, the diplomat indicated, adding that, “if (Iranian negotiator) Jalili sticks to his commitment to address the E3+3 (France, Germany United Kingdom United States, China, Russia) proposal, then the next meeting could be rather sooner than later”. (CG/transl.rt)