Iranian disarmament proposal most detailed ever received: EU

Geneva, Oct 17 (IANS/EFE) Europe's top foreign policy official, Catherine Ashton, confirmed Wednesday that the plan presented by Iran regarding making its nuclear programme more transparent is the most detailed ever received from Tehran.

Noting that the Iranians put together a new team for the talks that took place over the past two days in Geneva, she said that those were the "most detailed talks ever" on Iran's nuclear programme.

Ashton spoke about the talks at a brief press conference at the close of the two-day session between Iran and the G5+1 countries, which include the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.

These are the first negotiations that these countries - as a group - have held with representatives of the government of Iranian President Hassan Rohani, who assumed power last August.

Ashton confirmed that the talks will continue in Geneva Nov 7-8, but said that before that there will be meetings among nuclear scientists and economic sanctions experts from both sides.

She said that the talks and meetings will "address differences and... develop practical steps" to guarantee that Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful, adding that the US and the European Union are ready to alleviate the economic sanctions they have imposed on Iran for several years if the talks are ultimately successful.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he hoped the talks would be the "beginning of a new phase in our relations" and would help to avert "an unnecessary crisis" between Tehran and the international community.

--IANS/EFE

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