Turkey ready to host nuclear talks

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s readiness to host nuclear talks in Istanbul between Iran and the P5+1 countries, while the Iranian foreign minister said the date has been set as April 13.

“We had made a proposal to hold the nuclear meeting in Istanbul. The Iranian foreign minister had expressed a desire to hold the nuclear negotiations in Istanbul. We are waiting for the decision of the P5+1 [U.N. Security Council members plus Germany],” Erdogan said at a press conference with Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi in Tehran.

“The date has been set as April 13, but the negotiations for the venue are still ongoing,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said. “Turkey has announced its readiness to host the talks, and my personal preference is Istanbul,” he added. The foreign minister said a “suggestion” from the P5+1 for a venue had been received and was being studied, and the location “will be announced soon.” The talks carry hopes of defusing a tense international showdown over Iran’s nuclear activities that has sent oil prices soaring.

Ahead of meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad where he will discuss Iran’s nuclear program and crisis in Syria, Erdogan said there were positive developments regarding the nuclear talks at the nuclear summit in Seoul. “We wish to make a positive contribution to this process. Turkey is the third country that has been closely monitoring the process,” the prime minister said. Erdogan also slammed the bellicose language directed against Iran, saying: “Military threats against a country that seeks to master peaceful nuclear technology are not acceptable.”


/Hurriyet Daily News/