(28 Sep 2006) SHOTLIST
1. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier standing shaking hands with Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, cameras clicking
2. Mid shot Steinmeier smiling, tilt down to hand shake
3. Steinmeier and Larijani sit down
4. Various of meeting between Steinmeier and Larijani
STORYLINE
Ali Larijani, the Iranian chief nuclear negotiator, had a meeting on Thursday afternoon with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin.
Earlier, talks between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Larijani on Iran's disputed nuclear programme had ended without a deal, but the envoys insisted they had made progress.
A German Foreign Ministry spokesman said Steinmeier would inform Solana about the talks, but gave no further details of what Larijani and Steinmeier discussed.
As for the earlier talks, neither Larijani nor Solana gave any details of what had been achieved in two days of talks, held at a government villa on the outskirts of Berlin, but both spoke positively of the discussions.
Solana said he would have telephone contact with the Iranian side next week but he didn't say if there would be more face-to-face talks.
The meeting between Solana and Larijani was their third over a package of incentives that six countries - the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany - are offering Tehran in return for suspending its uranium enrichment programme and returning to full-scale negotiations.
Iran missed an August 31 Security Council deadline over the issue. The six are considering seeking sanctions in the U.N. Security Council if Tehran does not comply.
Solana and chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani had met at a Foreign Ministry facility near Lake Tegel on the outskirts of Berlin.
Steinmeier, who was not participating in the talks, has said he was optimistic about progress.
Solana will report back to the six countries trying to persuade Iran to give up its program to enrich uranium, he said, and then it will be decided if there are conditions for a return to the negotiating table.
Germany has joined with the permanent U.N. Security Council members in pressing Iran to give up what the U.S. says is a nuclear weapons programme.
Iran insists its programme is for peaceful purposes.
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