Brussels, 19/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The E3+3 (Germany, France, United Kingdom and China, United States and Russia) and Iran will again meet in Geneva, on 20 November, to try to find an agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme. Talks are due to continue until 22 November. Although, during the last round of talks from 7 to 10 November (see EUROPE 10961), western ministers had hastened to Geneva, this time discussions are planned at the level of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and political directors. “The timing of the meeting, only a short time after the last round, confirms the seriousness of the negotiations”, Ashton's spokesman stressed, going on to add that Ashton's “clear goal is to make further progress and to push ahead in the E3+3's efforts to seek a sustainable, robust deal”. He noted that, during the last discussions, “concrete progress was made, but differences remain in important areas”.
Feelings were divided in the run up to the discussions. Although Russia was optimistic about the possibility of coming to an agreement, the United States did not have any particular expectations, and France remained firm. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said, after speaking on the phone with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rohani, that there was now a real chance that a solution would be found to this long-lasting problem. Western diplomats said it might be possible to come to an interim agreement.
US Secretary of State John Kerry did not have any “specific expectations” with respect to the negotiations in Geneva except that they would “negotiate in good faith”. He told the press that they would “try to get a first step agreement and hope that Iran will understand the importance of coming there prepared to create a document that can prove to the world that this is a peaceful programme”. French President François Hollande believed there are four requirements for an interim agreement, which are to: place all Iran's nuclear installations under international control immediately, suspend uranium enrichment at 20%, reduce the existing stock, and stop construction of the Arak power plan (see EUROPE 10965). Iran's President Rohani sounded a note of caution against “excessive demands” that could “complicate the process towards a win-win agreement”. (CG/transl.jl)