Turkey supports dialogue on Iran's nuke issue

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Friday Turkey supports holding dialogue on Iran's nuclear program.

Babacan made the remarks at a joint news conference following his talks with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

"The meeting that would be held in Geneva on Saturday in regard to Iran's nuclear program carries high importance. We hope that the dialogue process on Iran's nuclear program would continue with success, " Babacan said.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and European Union ( EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana will meet in Swiss city of Geneva on Saturday to hold talks on the country's nuclear program.

"We exchanged ideas with Mr. Mottaki on the nuclear talks. Turkey supports the idea of handling Iran's nuclear issue through dialogue...(As) dialogue and consultations are necessary to build confidence, " Babacan said.

"We are very clear on this matter of nuclear energy. While we are against the use of nuclear weapons in our region, we believe that every sovereign country has the natural right to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, " he noted.

For his part, Mottaki said, "One of the topics we discussed with Mr. Ali Babacan today was Iran's nuclear program. We are in constant consultations on this matter. We thank Turkey for its constructive approach to Iran's nuclear activities," Mottaki said.

On Iran's relations with the United States, Mottaki said, "in the past few years, many Americans from different fields wanted to visit Iran. We support this process between the peoples of our two countries."

"U.S. businessmen would like to conduct business with Iran. A group of U.S. businessmen already operate in Iran." Mottaki said.

"We proposed direct flights between Iran and the U.S. We may hold a meeting on would-be direct flights and the opening of an U. S. interest office in Tehran," Mottaki said.

The United States, which cut diplomatic ties with Iran shortly after its 1979 Islamic revolution, has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

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