Brussels, 07/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 6 January, Michael Mann, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, told EUROPE that “progress was made” at a new session of technical discussions on 30 December on the implementation of the joint action plan on the Iranian nuclear programme (see EUROPE 10970). However, “some issues remain to be resolved”, Mann stated, without giving further detail. He said that contacts will be continued in order to finalise a common understanding of the implementation arrangement.
On 31 December, chief Iranian negotiator Abbas Aragchi, quoted by local media, stated that “the two parties made good progress”. According to chief Iranian expert Hamid Baïdinejad, quoted by Irna on 1 January, “one of the main proposals (of the experts from the two parties) is to begin applying the agreement from 20 January. There is an agreement in principle on this date - which still has to be approved by those politically responsible”. Baïdinejad stated that there are still “two or three issues of a political nature that must be settled at the political level”, but he gave no further detail. Aragchi announced that the experts should submit their conclusions to the deputy ministers and political leaders because “there are still issues to be settled at the political level”.
According to the Iranians, Aragchi is due to meet EU political director Helga Schmid in Geneva on Thursday or Friday. The meeting has not been confirmed by the European External Action Service. (CG/transl.fl)