BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Foreign Ministers from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and Germany say they’ll meet Iranian officials on Thursday, to discuss the resumption of formal talks on the country’s nuclear program. It follows the latest comments by new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who’s says the country has nothing to hide on its nuclear program.
The meeting will come on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly.
The aim is to pave the way for a return to substantive negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
US Secretary of State, John Kerry will sit down with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. It will be the highest-level, direct contact between the two countries in six years.
After years of defiance, Iran is apparently adopting a more conciliatory stance, since new president Hassan Rouhani took office.
The US is hopeful, but cautious.
"Actions are what matter and substantive negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program will be the test, will provide the test over whether Iran is serious about resolving the international community’s concerns and we are engaged in that process. As you know, Secretary Kerry will be with his Iranian counterpart in the P5+1 peace process this week. So, that’s the beginning of what we hope will be progress towards resolving this problem," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
US President Barack Obama didn’t meet Rouhani at the UN General Assembly earlier this week. But the White House says Obama is open to the possibility of an informal encounter at a future date.
But Obama and other US officials insist Iran must prove its commitment with actions, and not just words.
At the UN headquarters, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been making more overtures for peace.
But skepticism over Rouhani’s intentions remains, in some quarters of Washington. US officials have been stressing that it’s unlikely to be any immediate breakthrough on the long running nuclear issue.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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