Brussels, 05/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - Negotiations between the E3+3 (Germany, France, United Kingdom and China, United States and Russia) and Iran on the Iranian nuclear programme appeared to get off to a difficult start in Almaty (Kazakhstan) on 5 April.
After the plenary session during the morning of 5 April, a western diplomat underlined that “there has not yet been a clear and concrete response to the E3+3's Almaty I proposal” made during the last discussions in Almaty on 26 and 27 February by the E3+3 (see EUROPE 10795 and 10797). “There were some interesting but not fully explained general comments on our ideas”, he added, explaining that “it was mainly a reworking of what they had said in Moscow”, on 18 June 2012 (see EUROPE 10736).
Iran's deputy negotiator, Ali Bagheri, for his part, told journalists on the spot that the negotiator-in-chief, Saeed Jalili, had presented precise plans and proposals for triggering cooperation with the E3+3. He went on to add that those proposals deal not only with the first stage in order to enhance trust but also with the final result of the negotiating process.
The western side underlined the need to hold a second plenary session during the afternoon that same day, so that the Iranians might “respond in the kind of detail that will enable us to make progress”, the diplomatic source said.
At the time of going to press, no information had been forthcoming regarding that plenary meeting. Talks are due to continue on 6 April. (CG/transl.jl)