Britain's Straw says EU-3 nuclear talks with Iran likely to be in Paris

WAR.WIRE

Britain's Straw says EU-3 nuclear talks with Iran likely to be in Paris
WASHINGTON (AFP) May 18, 2005
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Tuesday that he and the foreign ministers of France and Germany would likely meet with Iranian officials next week in Paris to discuss Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

"The three foreign ministers, Joschka Fischer (of Germany), Michel Barnier (of France) and I, have agreed to meet an Iranian delegation early next week. The place is likely to be Paris," Straw told reporters here after meeting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Earlier Tuesday, the French foreign ministry had said the talks could take place in either Paris or Brussels.

Britain, France and Germany called a crisis meeting with Iran after Tehran announced it would resume uranium conversion work, a move that would violate a November 2004 accord on freezing nuclear fuel work and opening long-term talks.

Tehran said Tuesday it had little hope of reaching an agreement in emergency nuclear talks with Britain, France and Germany, saying the Europeans were hostage to the hardline US position.

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