Brussels, 13/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 12 January, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton announced that Iran and the E3+3 (Germany, France, United Kingdom and China, United States, Russia) will begin implementing the first stage of the joint action plan on 20 January 2014. “The E3+3 and Iran have now reached a common understanding on the implementation modalities for a first step of six month of initial measures as set out in the Geneva joint plan of action of 24 November 2013” (see EUROPE 10970), she said in a press release. Asked about the suspension of European sanctions, Maja Kocijancic, Ashton's spokesperson stated that “the EU will remain faithful to its commitments and will take all the necessary measures for this”. The European and American sanctions linked to the nuclear programme that were agreed in the action plan will therefore be suspended, according to a European diplomat. The only exemption will be the repatriation of the agreed amount of oil revenues, which will happen in instalments, the diplomat added.
Ashton stated that the outstanding issues on the implementation of the initial measures were resolved and finalised at a meeting between EEAS Deputy Secretary General Helga Schmid and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva on 9-10 January - an agreement which was then approved by all the capitals. The technical agreements on the concrete measures to be implemented by the two parties were developed during three rounds of intensive meetings between the technical experts of the two parties, partly also involving the IAEA.
“Thanks to this agreement on the implementation modalities, the foundations for a coherent, robust and smooth implementation of the joint plan of action over the six month period have been laid.” “We will ask the IAEA to undertake all the necessary nuclear-related monitoring and verification activities”, Ashton added.
No date has yet been mentioned for the resumption of the negotiations for the final agreement. However, Aragchi gave assurances that the talks will begin “two or three weeks” after 20 January.
Ashton invited to Iran. Araghchi announced that “Catherine Ashton has an open invitation from Mohammad Javad Zarif [Iran's foreign affairs minister] to visit Tehran when she wants”. In response, Ashton's spokesperson, Michael Mann, said that Ashton “has noted with interest the press information concerning a possible invitation”. “She has already said that she plans to visit Tehran when the negotiations are progressing towards an overall agreement”, he added (our translation). (CG/transl.fl)