U.S. says no decision on Iranian talks in Baghdad(Khalilzad)

[maddezmom]

U.S. says no decision on Iranian talks in Baghdad
04 Mar 2007 17:25:56 GMT
Source: Reuters

Background
• Iraq in turmoil


MORE >>
BAGHDAD, March 4 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said no decision had been made on holding bilateral talks with Iran on the sidelines of a regional meeting this week but if such talks took place he would focus on arms smuggling.

In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Khalilzad said the aim of the March 10 Baghdad meeting of regional countries and world powers was to get Iraq's neighbours to contribute to stabilising Iraq. He said it was not clear who would attend from Iran.

"We have not decided at this point with regard to anything bilateral (with Iran) but we will be prepared to play our role as constructively as possible," Khalilzad said.

The United States has no diplomatic relations with Iran and is engaged in a war of words to stop what it says are Tehran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for power generation.

more:http://mobile.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR461055.htm

[Eugene]

1. Iran: No Plans to Meet With U.S. in Iraq (AP)

Iran: No Plans to Meet With U.S. in Iraq

By NASSER KARIMI
The Associated Press
Sunday, March 4, 2007; 11:23 AM

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran will not necessarily have direct talks with the United States
if it attends an upcoming regional conference about Iraq's security crisis, an Iranian
official said Sunday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini said Iran will announce "in the
near future" whether it will attend the March 10 conference in Baghdad. Syria, the
United States, Britain and France have said they will participate.

Hosseini claimed the U.S. has proposed holding direct discussions with Iran over
Iraq. Iranian officials have made those claims in the past, but U.S. officials have
not confirmed proposing any talks.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/04/AR2007030400471.html