 
CHANNELS SPACEWAR WIRE MILITARY SPACE UAV NEWS MILITARY COMMS CYBERWARS MISSILE NEWS RAYGUNS TERRORWARS SPACEDAILY TERRADAILY MARSDAILY SPACE TRAVEL SPACEMART SPACE DATABASE  SERVICES |  
Talks with Kamal Kharazi on Iran's suspected nuclear programme will not influence negotiations with the Islamic republic on a massive oil deal, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said Wednesday. The Iranian foreign minister was to arrive in Japan late Wednesday aboard a specially-chartered plane ahead of talks Thursday with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Kawaguchi. He was to depart Japan Friday. Kawaguchi told reporters Wednesday that Iran's dealings with the International Atomic Energy Agency would not hinder negotiations on the multibillion-dollar deal to develop a massive oil field in Iran, regardless of the nuclear issue. "These are two separate policy goals. We have not come to the point where we need to discuss these together," she said. "Each one is important." She said, however, that she will urge Iran to sign the "additional protocol" to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to allow snap UN inspections of Iran's nuclear sites. "Japan shares the international community's nuclear weapons concern. We are glad that the IAEA is there talking with the Iranians," she told a press briefing. "We have been pressing Iran that it is very important for them to sign and implement the additional protocol." Kawaguchi noted that 99 percent of Japan's oil comes from outside sources. "Therefore, securing oil has been a very important policy goal for Japan," she said. Visiting Iranian nuclear energy officials said Tuesday there were positive discussions on the additional protocol. During a bilateral working-level meeting held here, Iranian officials also reiterated their right to peaceful use of nuclear materials. Tehran is under strong international pressure to sign the extra NPT clause to prove it is not secretly developing atomic weapons, with the United States accusing Iran of using its atomic energy program as a cover for nuclear weapons development. All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse. Quick Links
|
|
| The contents herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2002 - SpaceDaily. AFP Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |