Turkey ready to host talks between Iran

The visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that Turkey is ready to host the talks between Iran and G5+1, the official IRNA news agency reported. Davutoglu announced Turkey's readiness to host the talks between Iran and six major powers, China, the United States, Russia, Britain and France, plus Germany, and said that Iran's package of proposals is a proper ground for talks on important global issues, the report said. He expressed hoped that the talks to start as soon as possible,according to IRNA, but he did not tell the exact date. Earlier, Turkish foreign minister, during his meeting with Iranian officials, said that Turkey would not support further sanctions on Iran over the continuation of its nuclear program. Davutoglu who is wrapping up his two-day visit to Iran, felicitated President Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad on his re-election and said that he was pleased to be the first foreign minister in Iran after the re-election of Ahmadinejad. To initiate the suspended talks with six major powers on globalissues, Iran handed over its new package of proposals on Wednesday. However, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that Iran is ready to talk on international issues, but not on its nuclear program. The United States and other Western countries claim that Iran intends to secretly develop nuclear weapons. The UN Security Council also requires Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activity. Iran, however, insists that its nuclear plan is only for peaceful purposes, vowing to continue its uranium enrichment activity despite pressure and sanctions from Western countries.