Negotiate with Iran, says Russia

Russia: Russian President Dmitri Medvedev says it is important to resume the negotiating process with Iran soon and dismissed the interpretations of the nuclear program of Tehran that motivated sanctions by western countries against the Persian nation.

On referring to the subject of Iran in a meeting with ambassadors and Russian representatives in international organisms, Medvedev said that for Russia the new resolution of the UN Security Council only makes sense in the context of the reestablishment of a full and constructive dialogue with Iran.

The Russian leader warned that sanctions do not normally achieve the results expected, and called on the diplomats to take advantage of talks with Teheran.

"If we don't take that opportunity it will be a collective failure of the whole international community," said the Russian leader.

Medvedev opined that the Islamic Republic of Iran is close to possessing nuclear capability which could be used in the creation of atomic weapons.

He clarified, however, that the possession of such a potential is not prohibited by the Treaty of Non Proliferation (TNP).

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Serguei Riabkov said recently that Moscow is proposing an early meeting of the six powers and the Iranian Government's representatives.

He also referred to the projected meeting of the High Representative of the European Union for foreign policy, Catherine Ashton, the international negotiators and the Persian counterpart.

Moscow, Prensa Latina