Vienna, Dec 29, IRNA -- The economic and trade working groups of
Iran and the European Union will resume their negotiations in Tehran
or Brussels in the next two weeks, it was announced in the Austrian
capital on Wednesday.
Diplomatic sources in Vienna said Wednesday that the negotiations
which will probably start on January 12, will review Iran-EU future
cooperation.
A western diplomatic source told IRNA that Iran-EU political and
security working group will also hold talks in mid January.
According to reports, representatives from EU council and
commission will take part in the two sides' political and security
negotiations.
Iran-EU negotiations within the framework of the three working
groups are based on expansion of political, economic and nuclear
cooperation between the two sides.
The EU delegation in bilateral negotiations in the three fields
of economy, politics and nuclear cooperation is headed by Britain,
Germany and France, respectively.
Several rounds of talks on a mutual trade and cooperation
agreement (TCA) had been held between the two sides before Iran's
nuclear issue was catapulted into the center of their talks.
The EU-Iran talks began after President Mohammad Khatami came into
power in May 1997, with the EU taking up a policy of 'comprehensive
dialogue' with the Islamic Republic in the form of biannual Troika
meetings on political and economic issues.
The political part of the dialogue covers issues regarding
conflicts, including in the Middle East, non-proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, human rights and terrorism.
On the economic front, the European Union is exploring
possibilities for cooperation with Iran in energy, trade and
investment as well as refugees and drugs control.
The EU is Iran's biggest trading partner, with oil accounting for
over 80 percent of Tehran's exports to the EU. Iran also sells
agricultural products mainly pistachios as well as textiles and
carpets to the EU.
... Payvand News - 12/29/04 ... --
