Iran to hold nuclear talks with Solana in Geneva

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-11 22:12

TEHRAN -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana will meet in Swiss city of Geneva on July 19 to hold talks on the country's nuclear program, the official IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

"Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (Jalili) and the EU foreign policy chief, the G5+1 representative Javier Solana will resume talks on the (Iranian and G5+1) proposed packages on Saturday, July 19," spokesman of the council's secretariat Ahmad Khadem ol-Melleh was quoted as saying.

Jalili will visit Geneva on an invitation by Solana as the G5+1, which consists of five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, has welcomed continued talks between the EU envoy and the Iranian official on the proposed packages, the spokesman said.

On Wednesday, Solana's spokeswoman refused to confirm a press report from Tehran that he would visit the Iranian capital on July 19.

"In principle, we are expecting a meeting with Iranian authorities before the end of the month," Cristina Gallach said, adding that "neither the date nor the meeting's location" had been set.

Solana handed over an updated package of incentives proposed by world powers and a letter from foreign ministers of the six countries and himself to Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki last month.

Iran responded to the package in a letter to Solana early this month and also presented its own package of proposals to the world powers.