German Foreign Minister optimistic on Almaty talks

German Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has expressed optimism on the probability of success of the G5+1 and Iran negotiators talks over the country's nuclear programme plans which opened in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Tuesday. The five permanent UN security council members and Germany want to present in Almaty a new proposal for the solution of the decade-long nuclear issue. The differences, however, are still significant, but Westerwelle said he was still optimistic as "there are opportunities to reach an agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme". He saw opportunities for "a political and diplomatic solution," the former chairman of Free Democratic Party of Germany told the Bonn newspaper 'General-Anzeiger'. An agreement was "necessary, because a nuclear-armed Iran would not only be a threat to countries in the region, and especially Israel, but also for the security architecture in the world," said Westerwelle. The German minister believes that the recent rejection of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic on direct talks with the United States does not mean a final rejection of negotiations. Iran insists on its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy and the lifting of all sanctions. Hosts Kazakhstan called on both sides to a diplomatic solution. "We need peace," President Nursultan Nazarbayev said before the meeting in the Central Asian ex-Soviet republic. The United States called on Iran a "strategic decision". Diplomats and observers expect world powers to offer some relief on sanctions against Iran, but no concrete results from the negotiations. (QNA)