Talks with Iran make progress, but no breakthrough: Solana

Talks with Iran have made progress, but no agreement has been reached on the key issue of uranium enrichment, said European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Wednesday.

"We have reached common ground on quite a number of subjects. But we haven't agreed on what is a key point: suspension (of uranium enrichment). So far, up to today, Iran has made no commitment to suspend," Solana told the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

He said he has been engaged in talks with the Iranian authorities for four months with an aim to clarify whether a negotiation between Iran and six countries -- Britain, France, Germany and the United States, Russia and China -- could start on the basis of a June proposal.

The six countries offered Iran a package which included political, economic and nuclear technology incentives in return for Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment.

The six countries have followed a two-track approach: dialogue and referring the case to the UN Security Council, said Solana.

"Dialogue could not last forever. It is up to them (the six countries) to decide whether the time has come to follow the second track," he said. "But the door to negotiations is always open."

He said the issue "can only be solved, and will be solved, through negotiations."

Source: Xinhua