BEIJING, Nov. 28 -- The European Union has officially informed Iran that they has agreed to resume bilateral nuclear talks in December.

The message was conveyed in a letter delivered to Javad Vaeedi, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, by ambassadors of Britain, France and Germany to Iran on Sunday.

    Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi says Iran welcomes further talks on the issue of nuclear energy. But it is up to the Europeans to respond officially so that further discussions could take place.

    
"We prefer to solve all the issues through negotiation, negotiations which are serious, constructive and short term. We prefer to solve the issue of nuclear fuel production on Iran's territory through negotiation," said Asefi.

    However, the spokesman said Iran reserves the right to re-commence uranium enrichment for "research and development" purposes.

    He insisted, unlike the question of nuclear fuel production, nuclear-related activities in general are not up for negotiation.

    The IAEA earlier put off taking Iran to the UN Security Council to allow time for a new Russian diplomatic initiative aimed at resolving fears that Iran is using an atomic energy drive as a cover for nuclear weapons development.

    Under the compromise plan, Russia would conduct uranium enrichment, a process which can make both nuclear fuel and the explosive core of a weapon, on Iran's behalf.

    But Tehran has already rejected the proposal.

(Source: CRI)