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Netanyahu to Ashton: Iran playing for time in nuke talks

09 May 2012 23:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Iran is exploiting the talks with world powers on its nuclear program to continue clandestine uranium enrichment activities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday told European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"Iran is trying to gain time through talks with the West, and has no intention of halting its nuclear program," the Israeli daily Ha’aretz quoted Netanyahu as telling Ashton, who arrived in Jerusalem to brief Netanyahu ahead of the second round of talks with Tehran, which are scheduled to take place in Baghdad of Iraq on May 23.

In what local media interpreted as an effort to present a united front on the Iranian issue, Netanyahu invited Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and incoming Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz to attend the meeting with Ashton, who is leading the negotiations with Iran on behalf of the P5+1 countries.

A senior official said Netanyahu and the three ministers reiterated Israel’s demands for the Iranians: a complete cessation of all uranium enrichment; the removal of existing enriched materials out of the country; and the dismantling of the Fordo enrichment facility near Qom.

Israel would consider the talks a success only if Iran agrees to these demands and a clear timetable for their implementation is set, the official told The Times of Israel.

Ashton’s office did not issue a statement on Wednesday’s meeting. The EU foreign policy chief reportedly attempted to assuage Netanyahu’s concerns that the talks with Iran would eventually yield a deal that would enable Tehran, which claims that its nuclear program is solely intended for peaceful purposes, to continue enriching uranium, according to the Times.

In contrast to her previous visits, Ashton did not meet with Palestinian leaders this time around, and boarded a flight to Brussels Wednesday afternoon.