Bremen, 02/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The debate on relations between the EU and Iran was “strongly dominated by the latest crisis concerning the capture of British nationals”, said Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday, after two days of informal meetings between the foreign affairs ministers. Javier Solana has been tasked with finding possible ways of breaking the crisis, but with no reaction from Tehran on Saturday's pledge of support to the United Kingdom by its European partners: “For this reason, when we discuss the possibility of negotiating on the nuclear dossier today, we will not really be able to make any progress”, the head of German diplomacy added. In a declaration adopted on Friday, the EU “deplores” the arrest and continued detention of 15 British sailors being held by Iran, and pledges its “unconditional support” to the government of the United Kingdom. The capture of the sailors, whilst patrolling Iraqi waters, is a “clear breach of international law”, reads the text put together by the foreign affairs ministers of the Twenty-Seven during their informal meeting in Bremen. “The EU repeats its call for the immediate and unconditional release British Royal Navy personnel” and calls upon the Iranian authorities to inform their British counterparts as to where the sailors are being held. The rights of all prisoners must be “scrupulously respected”, the text of the declaration adds, going on to issue the following warning: “if the British citizens are not freed in the near future, the EU will decide on the appropriate measures to take”. When asked about the type of measures which may be envisaged, the high representative of the EU for the CFSP declined to go into the subject in any greater depth. The situation is not solely a “bilateral” issue between Iran and the United Kingdom, said Javier Solana, who refuses to accept any accusation that the EU is “complicating the issue” at a time of trying to bring Tehran to the negotiating table on the nuclear issue. On this point, “the door remains open and we must find a way of going through it together”, he said. (ab)