Six powers, Tehran to discuss Iran's nuclear program in Geneva
MOSCOW. October 1. KAZINFORM The Iran Six negotiating group of Russia, Britain, China, France, Germany and the U.S. is set to meet in Geneva on Thursday for talks with Tehran on Iran's nuclear program and a second uranium enrichment facility; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
The delegations of the six nations will be headed by deputy foreign ministers, including Russia's Sergei Ryabkov. Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will also take part in the meeting.
Western powers suspect Iran of attempting to build nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating nuclear energy for civilian purposes.
Iran ruled out the possibility of discussing at the meeting its right for the civilian use of nuclear power, including the construction of a second uranium enrichment site.
Last week, Iran notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of a second Iranian enrichment site some 100 km to the south of the capital. The news was met by indignation from the West which suspects Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program. The U.S., the U.K. and France have demanded harsher sanctions against the Islamic republic.
The IAEA requested specific information and an immediate inspection of the facility to make sure it was for civilian needs. Iran's envoy to the UN told Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday it was ready to admit UN nuclear watchdog inspectors to the plant; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.
See www.en.rian.ru for full version