Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., April 19, 2008 Nisan 14, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:02 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Envoys of world powers meeting to discuss Iran nuclear program in Shanghai. (Reuters) Last update - 13:50 17/04/2008 China: Int'l talks on Iran end with 'some' agreement on incentives By The Associated Press Tags: nuclear program, China, Iran  A group of key world powers' talks in on incentives aimed at persuading Iran to stop its nuclear program ended with no clear result, though the meeting's chairman said diplomatic efforts would continue. "The five permanent UN Security Council members as well as Germany and the European Union reached agreements on some major parts during the closed-door meeting," said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei, who hosted the session in Shanghai. He did not give details of the talks, which ended Wednesday. The envoys discussed proposed political, security and economic incentives designed to coax Tehran into stopping a uranium enrichment program that the U.S. and many other countries fear could produce weapons material. Advertisement "On the whole, the six countries agreed to continue diplomatic efforts," he said. He gave no details on what might have held up a full agreement. Iran was not invited to participate in the talks, which featured the EU and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - the six countries that have led efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called the session a good meeting about incentives but said more work was needed for the six nations to reach consensus. "They had some good discussions but the bottom line is they are going to have to continue discussions on it," McCormack told reporters. He said any incentives must be accompanied by Iranian compliance with demands to suspend its uranium reprocessing and enrichment. Iran insists its program is only meant to produce energy and has refused to suspend it despite three rounds of Security Council sanctions. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently said his country was installing thousands of new uranium-enriching centrifuges. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the claim could not be immediately verified. Iran has about 3,000 centrifuges operating at an underground facility. That is the commonly accepted figure for a nuclear enrichment program that is past the experimental stage and can be used for a program to produce material for dozens of nuclear weapons. Iran has said it plans to move toward large-scale uranium enrichment that will ultimately involve 54,000 centrifuges. Tehran has brushed off international concern, pointing to a February report by the International Atomic Energy Agency that said all major past issues surrounding Iran's nuclear activities had been resolved or are no longer outstanding at this stage. A top Iranian official, however, abruptly canceled a Monday meeting with the head of the IAEA, an agency official said. Related articles: MI: Iran will cross nuclear threshold by 2009 Bush warns nuclear Iran could spur 'World War III' Giuliani, McCain: U.S. should prepare to use force against Iran Chronology of Iran's nuclear program Bookmark to del.icio.us   A gentleman's word Olmert tells Haaretz he knows Iran won't have nuclear capacity. Farewell to arms B'Tselem says IDF must ban wide-range shell that killed civilians in Gaza.   1.   No to Iran`s nuclear program. 09:50  |  Jean Van Daem 17/04/08   2.   Overkill 12:36  |  Di 17/04/08   3.   jihad 12:51  |  Di 17/04/08   4.   Yep- we agree to do nothing. 15:05  |  ka 17/04/08   5.   Iran`s nuclear activities are legal and transparent 19:17  |  ManintheMiddle 17/04/08   6.   The world must not succumb to Israels self interest 21:21  |  Natallie Durson 17/04/08

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