(9 Sep 2006) SHOTLIST
1. Various exteriors of office of Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel
2. Mid of European Union flag
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Larijani, Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator, translator (English):
"We had some good and constructive talks and we have made some progress in some areas. And we shall continue tomorrow."
4. Larijani convoy leaving in black car
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Christina Galach, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's spokesperson:
"The talks have been constructive and positive.They lasted over three hours and Mr Solana is overnighting and coming back to the table tomorrow morning."
6. Mid of Galach
7. Police clearing driveway
STORYLINE
European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana and senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani met in Vienna on Saturday for talks about Tehran's defiance of international demands that it give up uranium enrichment.
The talk lasted three hours, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's spokesperson Christina Galach told assembled media.
She added that they would continue tomorrow.
The two men went to the office of Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel for discussions, billed by six world powers as the last chance for Iran to avoid United Nations (UN) sanctions over its nuclear defiance.
The talks were focusing on whether there was common ground to start negotiations between Tehran and the countries offering rewards if the Islamic republic gives up uranium enrichment - and threatening punishment if it does not.
Following the meeting, Larijani told the assembled media "we had some good and constructive talks and we have made some progress in some areas. And we shall continue tomorrow."
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany agreed on a package of economic and political rewards in June to be offered to Tehran, but only if it stops enrichment before the start of such negotiations, meant to achieve a long-term enrichment moratorium.
But the international alliance also warned of punishments, including UN sanctions, if Tehran does not halt enrichment - something Iran refused to do by an August 31 deadline set by the UN Security Council.
On Friday, US Undersecretary of State, Nicholas Burns, said Washington expected the Security Council to start discussing a draft on sanctions as early as next week unless Tehran does a last-minute turn and agrees to freeze enrichment, a possible pathway to nuclear arms.
Recent statements from some government officials suggest that Russia, China and France might possibly be leaning toward dropping the demand that Iran stop enrichment before talks begin, in exchange for a commitment to discuss such a moratorium as part of negotiations.
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