Negotiations "useful" in Kazakhstan on the Iranian nuclear

The major powers and Iran had a meeting Tuesday "useful" on the Iranian nuclear issue in Almaty, Kazakhstan, officials said Russian and Western. The two sides agreed to continue their discussions Wednesday.

The delegations of the countries in the group "5 +1" (the five members of the Security Council of the UN plus Germany) and Iran met for three hours at midday. This meeting was the first since eight months between the two parties.

These discussions were considered "useful" by the head of the Russian delegation, Sergei Ryabkov, and a Western source. "We agreed to have another meeting on Wednesday at 11:00 am (0600 Swiss)," said Michael Mann, for his part, spokesman for the Head of European diplomacy Catherine Ashton, responsible for contacts with Tehran on behalf Group 5 +1.

Call for "flexibility"

An Iranian source confirmed that talks will resume Wednesday. "We hope that the Iranians will come tomorrow showing the flexibility and willingness to compromise. The ball is really in their court," said a little later Mr. Mann.

He said that the Iranians had bilateral discussions with the Russians, the Germans and the British on the new offer 5 +1 group of countries. According to a source of great powers, the proposal promises "a reduction of some sanctions on trade in gold, those concerning the petrochemical industry and certain banking sanctions" in exchange for concessions from Tehran.

This offer takes the request to Iran in early 2012, namely "stop the 20% enrichment (of uranium), the closure of the Fordo (buried under the mountain and difficult to destroy, Ed ) and sending the stock of uranium enriched to 20% "abroad, she added.

Iranian red lines

For its part, Tehran announced it would make a new offer to the great powers, but insisted he would not budge on the closure of the Fordo and sending abroad the stock of 20% uranium.

"However, we can consider stopping enrichment to 20% against the lifting of all international sanctions, including the Security Council," UN, said a source close to the Iranian negotiating team .

For its part, the U.S. secretary of state John Kerry, visiting Berlin, said Tuesday "hope" that the two parties find a "diplomatic solution".