Obama, Medvedev say time running out on Iran talks

US, Russian presidents say world running out of time in using diplomatic means to resolve crisis over Iran's nuclear program

Reuters
Published: 11.15.09, 10:53 / Israel News

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday the world was running out of time in using diplomatic means to resolve a crisis over Iran's nuclear program.

The United States had been willing to give Iran time to decide whether to accept a UN-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions it is after atomic bombs but which has drawn Iranian objections, a US diplomat said a week ago.

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Both Obama and Medvedev, speaking after they held talks on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific meeting in Singapore, suggested patience was running low.

"Unfortunately, so far at least, Iran appears to have been unable to say yes to what everyone acknowledges is a creative and constructive approach," Obama said while seated next to Medvedev.

"We are running out time with respect to that approach."

Obama and Medvedev in Singapore (Photo: Reuters)

Medvedev said "other means" could be used if discussions did not yield results.

"Thanks to joint efforts the process of (the Iran talks) has not stopped but we are not completely happy about its pace. If something does not work there are other means to move the process further," he said.

"Our aim is clear - a transparent nuclear program rather than a program which causes others' concern."

The plan for Iran to part with stocks of potential nuclear explosive material in exchange for fuel to keep a nuclear medicine facility running has stumbled on Iranian calls for amendments and more talks, which Washington has rejected.

In talks with six powers in Geneva on October 1, Iran agreed in principle to send the bulk of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for further processing and conversion into fuel plates for the Tehran reactor, Western officials said.

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