Xinhua: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged on Friday Iran not to reject new U.S. President Barack Obama's offer to open direct talks on the country's nuclear program, saying diplomacy was the way to solve the dispute.
Obama has shifted U.S. policy on Iran since he took office on Jan. 20 and wanted to engage in "direct diplomacy" with Iran, according to the report of AP. "I think it is time for us to urge Iran and the Iranian leadership not to reject this hand," Steinmeier said in a speech to lawmakers on Friday and stressed the importance of "diplomatic solution" to settle Iran's nuclear issue.
The diplomats from the UN Security Council's permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany will meet "in the Frankfurt area" on Feb. 4, German Foreign Ministry spokesman Jens Ploetner said Friday.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Germany Urges Iran to Step Up
Obama put the word out -- the U.S. has a new approach to foreign policy and that already has brought change. The European Union has stepped up to help Obama close Guantanamo and now Germany is urging Iran to behave.
