Manila - The European Union's foreign policy chief expressed hope on Wednesday that Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would soon resolve all issues relating to Tehran's nuclear programme. Javier Solana said Iran was now "trying to work with the agency of IAEA in Vienna to clarify the outstanding issues that have not been previously resolved."
"Once this is done - and I hope this will be done soon - we will have to resume meetings to see if we can pave the way to start negotiations," he told reporters on the sideline of his meetings with foreign ministers of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Philippine capital.
Solana said he and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani agreed to see how the discussions with the IAEA go before they talk again "to see if the meeting is appropriate."
Solana arrived late Monday in Manila to attend the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the only security meeting in Asia, on Thursday.
On Monday, an IAEA delegation inspected the heavy-water reactor at Arak in central Iran, according to Iran state news agency IRNA.
Iran's readiness to allow IAEA inspectors to visit the heavy-water reactor currently under construction is widely considered a major breakthrough between the relevant sides in the nuclear dispute.
According to a draft statement, the foreign ministers attending the ARF are expected to express their "deep concern" over the May 2007 report of the IAEA director general that Iran had not suspended its enrichment-related activities.
"The ministers stressed the urgent need for a diplomatic solution and a comprehensive arrangement with Iran, while respecting Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy under safeguards and in accordance with its obligations under the Non Proliferation Treaty," the draft added.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Aside from the 10-member ASEAN, other members of the ARF are Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, the EU, India, Japan, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, North and South Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka and the United States.
