Q. - This evening did you talk to your partners about the letter the Iranian President has sent his American opposite number?

THE MINISTER - What's most important today is to realize that Iran has not responded to the international community's various demands and that Mr ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA, has explained that the Iranian programme is progressing faster than foreseen.

Faced with this, I think it's important to reiterate that Iran has to face up to her responsibilities. Indeed, Iran is faced with a choice.

Either Iran cooperates and the international community is ready to make some ambitious proposals, firstly in the field of civil nuclear energy, and then in the areas of trade, technology, and why not security? Or Iran adopts an unresponsive attitude, not agreeing to suspend the sensitive nuclear activities, i.e. uranium conversion and enrichment, including for research reasons, in which case the international community will propose some deterrent measures.

Q. - Have you made any progress this evening?

THE MINISTER - We have asked our political directors and ambassadors now to formulate a resolution capable of receiving the united - I hope, firm and united - support of the international community, i.e. the Americans and Europeans, but also the Russians and Chinese, and also, in a few days' time, to put forward the broad outlines of some positive proposals to persuade Iran to see reason. We'd like the proposals we make to be graduated, controlled and reversible, to ensure that negotiations are always possible. More than ever, I'm convinced that the only possible path is a diplomatic one.

Q. - Does this letter change anything or nothing?

THE MINISTER - I'm first to going to find out what it says, and then I'll be able to answer you.