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Iran's Second Day of Nuclear Negotiations Begin NewsMax.com Wires VIENNA, Austria -- EU and Iranian officials met for a second day of talks in Vienna on Sunday, hoping to build on progress in efforts to resolve a dispute over Tehran's refusal to meet international demands that it freeze uranium enrichment.
The talks between Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana could be Iran's last chance to avoid penalties for rejecting the U.N. Security Council's demands that it stop enriching uranium, which can be used to make nuclear weapons. Both sides reported progress in talks Saturday.
Larijani spoke of "good and constructive talks, and ... some progress in some areas," while Solana's spokeswoman, Cristina Gallach, described them as "constructive and positive."
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The two sides have been working to see if there is common ground for negotiations between six world powers and Iran over its nuclear defiance. While the five permanent Security Council members and Germany have demanded that Iran fully freeze enrichment as a condition for further negotiations, Tehran has steadfastly refused to do so.
Hopes for success have been slim, but positions appeared to have shifted slightly.
European officials, who demanded anonymity for sharing confidential information with The Associated Press, suggested that at least some of the six nations were ready to listen if Iran committed itself to an enrichment freeze soon after the start of negotiations instead of as a condition for such talks.
The officials declined to provide details. But such readiness would be a blow to U.S.-led attempts to hold fast to the demand that Iran freeze enrichment before any talks - or face the prospect of Security Council sanctions.
One of the officials said Solana discussed the issue with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before going into the meeting, but declined to offer details. Solana is authorized by the six powers to carry their message and listen to the Iranians, without actually negotiating.
As late as Friday, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said Washington expected the Security Council to start discussing a draft on sanctions as early as next week, unless Tehran agreed at the last minute to halt enrichment.
But there might be opposition to that within the council. Russia and China have resisted a quick move to sanctions even though they agree to them as the ultimate punishment. And French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy on Thursday appeared to suggest that the demand to stop enrichment before talks was negotiable, saying: "The question is to know at what moment this suspension takes place compared to negotiations."
He later appeared to reverse himself, saying in separate comments that "suspension ... is an absolute prerequisite for restoring trust and resuming negotiations."
A European diplomat told the AP such vacillation appeared to reflect that a sizable number of countries within the 25-member EU oppose a quick move to sanctions. Britain, France and Germany formally represent the European Union within the six-nation coalition. Iran says it wants to develop an enrichment program to generate power. But there are growing concerns it seeks the technology to enrich uranium to weapons-grade for the core of warheads.
The six powers agreed in June on a package of economic and political rewards for Iran if it stops enrichment before negotiations, which are meant to achieve a long-term moratorium on the activity.
But the international alliance also warned of punishments - including the sanctions - if Tehran does not halt enrichment. Iran refused to do by the U.N.'s Aug. 31 deadline.
© 2006 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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