EU and partners give Iran new nuclear proposals

Six major powers gave Iran more details of their proposals to end a standoff over Tehran's nuclear programme in talks in Istanbul on the 18 March 2013.

The statement by Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, reaffirmed that Monday's technical talks would be followed by another meeting at the political level in Almaty on 5-6 April.

Western diplomats have made clear they want to see a substantive response from Iran to the six powers' proposals at the meeting.

In Istanbul, experts from the six powers, led by nuclear expert Stephan Klement, gave Iran further details of the "revised confidence-building proposal" they put forward at an earlier meeting in Almaty, Mann said.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background Information: EU diplomats aim for Iran nuclear talks next month http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-diplomats-aim-for-iran-nuclear-talks-next-month/

EEAS: Press Release, 19.03.13: Statement by the Spokesperson of High Representative Catherine Ashton following the meeting of E3/EU+3 experts and Iran, Istanbul, 18 March 2013 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/136256.pdf

EUObserver, 03.04.13: EU sanctions are no substitute for real diplomacy on Iran http://euobserver.com/foreign/119632

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