Consultations Underway among Western Delegations in Geneva


Consultations Underway among Western Delegations in Geneva

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Delegations from the western states are consulting about details of last night’s intensive talks between Iranian and world powers’ negotiators in Geneva, as the third day of talks is due to start later today with Russian and Chinese top diplomats expected to join the talks.

According to Tasnim dispatches, the western delegations are holding separate meeting to consult on the details of the last round of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany).

They also are in contact with their capitals in a bid to brief senior officials about the outcomes of negotiations held in the last two days.
Other meetings are expected to be held among parties on the sidelines of today’s talks.

Reports from Geneva suggest that the third day of talks may be delayed since Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is on his way to Geneva and expected to arrive in the city at 13:00 local time (1200 GMT).

The expected arrival of Russianforeign minister and China’s foreign minister or his deputy has fueled optimism that the presence of a full complement of top diplomats from the six countries negotiating with Iran was the prelude to the announcement of a deal.

The French, German and UK Foreign Ministers - Laurent Fabius, Guido Westerwelle and William Hague - are also in Geneva.

Earlier, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi described the five-hour intensive negotiations between Iranian foreign minister, US secretary of state and the EU foreign policy chief as constructive, adding that the talks have made progress.

He made the remarks after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, US Secretary of State John Kerry and the European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton wrapped up a trilateral meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva on Friday night.

“Progress was achieved, and the talks were good, and the negative points were diminished,” Araqchi, who is also one of Iran’s lead negotiators, said of the talks.

"The negotiations have reached (a) critical, very sensitive situation, and it needs decisions at higher levels," he told reporters in Geneva.

Top Nuclear stories
Top Stories