Post by Hera on Oct 15, 2013 5:07:38 GMT -7
World powers and Iran have expressed "cautious optimism" at the start of their first nuclear talks since Hassan Rouhani became Iran's president.
A EU spokesman said the Iranian team had put forward proposals at the start of two days of discussions in Geneva.
Mr Rouhani, who was elected in August and is seen as a relative moderate, has said he wants a deal within six months.
The West suspects Iran of seeking a nuclear arms capability. Tehran denies this, saying its programme is peaceful.
'Resolution path'
Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told reporters that Iranian officials had presented their proposal in PowerPoint format, but gave no details.
From a polite distance, the two chief negotiators - Catherine Ashton and Mohammad Javad Zarif - nodded hello to one another.
Inside the negotiating hall, Mr Zarif used a black laptop to give an hour-long PowerPoint presentation in English of Iran's ideas.
An Iranian official told reporters afterwards that the group of world powers responded positively to Iran's proposals.
Diplomats here say they are open to hearing what Iran has to say. But they also insist that the Islamic Republic needs to come up with substantive and constructive proposals. No-one expects an immediate agreement.
He said there was a sense of "cautious optimism" as the closed-door talks began on Tuesday.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi used the same phrase in an interview with Reuters news agency.
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For the rest of the story:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24527659
A EU spokesman said the Iranian team had put forward proposals at the start of two days of discussions in Geneva.
Mr Rouhani, who was elected in August and is seen as a relative moderate, has said he wants a deal within six months.
The West suspects Iran of seeking a nuclear arms capability. Tehran denies this, saying its programme is peaceful.
'Resolution path'
Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told reporters that Iranian officials had presented their proposal in PowerPoint format, but gave no details.
From a polite distance, the two chief negotiators - Catherine Ashton and Mohammad Javad Zarif - nodded hello to one another.
Inside the negotiating hall, Mr Zarif used a black laptop to give an hour-long PowerPoint presentation in English of Iran's ideas.
An Iranian official told reporters afterwards that the group of world powers responded positively to Iran's proposals.
Diplomats here say they are open to hearing what Iran has to say. But they also insist that the Islamic Republic needs to come up with substantive and constructive proposals. No-one expects an immediate agreement.
He said there was a sense of "cautious optimism" as the closed-door talks began on Tuesday.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi used the same phrase in an interview with Reuters news agency.
-----
For the rest of the story:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24527659