EU official rejects Turkey as venue for Iran talks

By Glenn Kessler

The European Union’s foreign policy chief has accepted Iran’s proposal to meet Dec. 5 but has rejected Istanbul as a venue, according to a copy of the letter seen by The Washington Post.

The exchange is the latest in a lengthy debate over when and where to hold talks between Iran and six nations eager to negotiate restraints on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran earlier this week proposed holding the talks on Nov. 23 or Dec. 5 in Turkey, but that would have meant that Turkish officials would host the event and presumably join in. The countries now involved in the long-stalled talks — the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany — are wary of adding another to the mix at this point.

“As far as the venue is concerned, holding the meeting in Istanbul is not possible for Her Excellency Lady [Catherine] Ashton, but she suggests that the meeting might take place in Vienna, or alternatively in Switzerland,” wrote James Morrison, Ashton’s chief of staff, in the letter to Iranian officials.

Iran’s response earlier this week suggested it was only interested in meeting on a single day, which U.S. and European officials argue will leave little time for a productive session. Ashton suggested in Friday’s letter that the meetings begin on Dec. 5 with a dinner, continue on Dec. 6 and then conclude at midday on Dec. 7 with a news conference.

While Ashton’s letters have repeatedly stressed an interest in discussing Iran’s nuclear program, the Iranian responses have been silent on the subject. Iranian officials have publicly declared they have no interest in discussing their nuclear program, despite new sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council for Tehran’s failure to halt uranium enrichment.

By Glenn Kessler  | November 12, 2010; 11:45 AM ET

via Checkpoint Washington – EU official rejects Turkey as venue for Iran talks.