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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

EU petitions Iran in nuclear talks

Constant Brand Associated Press

BRUSSELS, Belgium – European Union foreign ministers on Monday urged Iran to compromise at nuclear talks later this week and called on the country to assure the world it is not developing atomic weapons.

Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn of Luxembourg, which holds the EU presidency, said all the union’s 25 foreign ministers gave a “clear reaffirmation that the Iranians have to live up to their commitments” made under the accord reached between Iran and Britain, Germany and France last November when both sides agreed to launch talks over Iran’s nuclear intentions. “These commitments cannot be circumvented.”

Iran said last week it was resuming its uranium-enrichment program, which the EU and the United States fear is being used to develop weapons. Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful energy purposes.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw refused to say what specific issues the EU three would raise in the talks this week and said the meeting in Geneva scheduled for Wednesday would be “to ensure that both sides stick by the commitments which we have already entered into.”

Talks are entering their seventh round since Iran and the EU launched the discussions last November in Paris, and Straw said he hoped they would yield results.

“The Iranians are tough to negotiate with,” he said.

He added all sides believe it’s in everyone’s interest to reach an accord.

The EU is pushing to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons and has offered a free trade pact and further economic aid if Tehran comes clean on its nuclear intentions.

Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only: to build much-needed nuclear reactors to meet growing energy needs.

The three countries and the EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana discussed strategies Monday ahead of the Geneva talks. They also discussed Iran’s poor human rights record.

Asselborn voiced EU concern over a decision by Iran’s Guardian Council to approve only six of over 1,000 candidates wanting to run in upcoming presidential elections.

“They made it impossible for a true democratic choice,” said Asselborn.

The 25-nation EU last week threatened to take Iran to the U.N. Security Council after Iran said it was planning to resume some uranium reprocessing activities. Iran warned the EU on Sunday that a referral to the Security Council would deal a setback to the nuclear talks and could prompt the country to act on its own.