Brussels, 07/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - New negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme are due to take place in Geneva on 18 January. These will be held at the level of the political leaders of Iran and the large world powers, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on 7 January.
The 5+1 group (China, France, the UK, Russia and Germany) and Iran “will continue negotiations in Geneva on 18 January with a view to making further progress towards a long-term comprehensive solution on the nuclear issue”, the EEAS stated in its press release.
The meeting will be chaired by EEAS political director Helga Schmid. Bilateral meetings between Iran and some member states from the 5+1 group are planned in Geneva over the days leading up to this meeting, Tehran has stated. The negotiators are trying to conclude a comprehensive agreement by the summer on Tehran's nuclear programme. The large world powers are asking Iran to reduce its nuclear capacity in order to avoid this country having the atomic bomb. Tehran claims its right to a full civil nuclear industry and is calling for the West's economic sanctions to be totally lifted. (LC)