Ahmadinejad: Iran determined to continue Geneva talks

15 August 2008

Istanbul-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Thursday that Iran will continue Geneva talks over its nuclear issue while insisting preservation of its absolute and legal rights and welcomes any initiative on part of "friends" in that connection.

Addressing a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on the first day of his two-day working trip to Turkey, President Ahmadinejad said, "We believe dialogue is the best way and have always announced readiness for that. We think adherence to law and talks is the best solution to problems."

President Ahmadinejad also thanked Turkey, especially President Gul, for supporting dialogue and diplomacy as solution to the nuclear problem.

He said logically, Iran and the G5+1 should focus on common grounds of their proposed packages as a means to reach mutual understanding. "This (talks on common grounds) can be a good prelude for agreement. As for points of difference, we welcome any concrete initiative which will help expand and bolster the trend."

Elsewhere in his remarks, President Ahmadinejad said nuclear issue is a completely clear subject. "It is neither a technical nor a judicial issue; rather, it is a fully political issue. The US government has been countering our nation for 30 years every time on different pretexts. They used to issue sanctions against us in vain pretexts, when there was no nuclear problem at work."

He went on to say that all nations need nuclear energy and it should not be monopolized by a few states.

Gulf said in return that his country favors diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem, believing that a constructive trend has begun in connection with the G5+1 proposed package.

"Ankara hopes that the trend will proceed well and come to a result in a short period of time," he added.