Reuters: EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana confirmed on Wednesday he would travel shortly to Iran to present a major powers' offer of incentives for it to suspend uranium enrichment, but played down prospects of a breakthrough.
BRUSSELS, June 4 (Reuters) – EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana confirmed on Wednesday he would travel shortly to Iran to present a major powers' offer of incentives for it to suspend uranium enrichment, but played down prospects of a breakthrough.
"I don't expect miracles but I think it is important for us to keep extending a hand," Solana, who has been charged to explore the scope for negotiations with Tehran, told the European Parliament in a debate.
Solana gave no firm schedule for the visit and his office has yet to confirm a June 14 date announced on Tuesday by the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia — as well as Germany agreed on the offer for Tehran weeks ago but have had problems pinning Iran down on a time to present it.
The offer, updated from one presented in 2006, urges Iran to give up the sensitive enrichment work the West suspects is cover for building an atom bomb in exchange for economic and diplomatic rewards. Iran says its nuclear work is solely for power generation.
Khalilzad told reporters on Tuesday that, depending on the results of the Solana mission, major powers would consult on what further action the Security Council could take.
The council has already passed three rounds of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear activities, the most recent on March 3. (Reporting by Mark John and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Dale Hudson)
