Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has invited his American, British, Chinese, German and Russian counterparts and the high representative for EU foreign and security policy to a working meeting in Paris on July 12 on the Iran nuclear question.

This meeting follows on the proposals of the Six presented to Iran on June 6, the talks between Javier Solana and Ali Larijani in Brussels on July 6 and those scheduled for July 11. It will allow the ministers to state their positions on the next step in the process.

The meeting will very likely take place here at the Quai d'Orsay. We'll give you the time a bit later on as contacts are taking place now about the arrangements for the meeting. It will almost certainly be in the afternoon, late afternoon.

There will probably be a statement to the press after the meeting as there has been in the past at meetings of this sort elsewhere.

Q: What comment do you have after yesterday's meeting in Brussels where Mr. Larijani visibly didn't arrive with a firm and definite answer as expected? We've read the statements this morning in Mr. Solana's entourage about it being rather a good beginning so what's your assessment?

A: My assessment is the same for the simple reason that I also have it from my contacts with Mr. Solana's entourage. It was a one-on-one dinner so it's hard to know exactly what happened. I believe it was actually a start. We did not expect a definitive response from the Iranians last night. As I said, there will be another meeting on July 11 between Mr. Solana and Mr. Larijani which the German, British and French political directors are expected to attend, along with the Russian political director. We hope there will be an Iranian answer to the offer made by the Europeans then.

The ministers of the Six will be meeting tomorrow to consider the consequences and to see what the next step will be in the process and to review the situation before the G8 meeting in St. Petersburg.

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Q: In the event the Iranians stick to their position, namely giving their answer to the proposals round about August 22, how can you lean on them to get an earlier answer? What might that change for you if the Iranians don't given an answer quickly?

A: When we presented the offer to the Iranians on June 6, we said we'd like them to give us an answer in the next few weeks. The next few weeks, in our thinking, as the minister said, took us up to the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. That's why, whatever the outcome of the July 11 meeting between Mr. Larijani and Mr. Solana, the ministers of the Six have to review the question again and consider together what they want to do next in this process.

I would remind you that for now we've a situation in which we've suspended the procedure in the UN Security Council but, of course, the option is still available of going back to the Security Council if the Iranians don't give us an answer or if they respond negatively to the offer the Europeans have made.

Q: There's no definite deadline?

A: No definite deadline, but once again I think everything depends on the way one interprets the delay the Iranian side has asked for. The meeting between Mr. Solana and Mr. Larijani will give us more indications about what the delay means for the Iranian side.

Q: Are you demanding a structured, definitive response or are you prepared to be content with some approval in principle pending such time as it's more finalized, more debated on the internal level in Iran?

A: That will have to be seen in the meeting between Mr. Solana and Mr. Larijani. It will be for the ministers to discuss. It's a process. Either the process goes in the right direction, and one can conceive of there being various phases, or it goes in the wrong direction, and the consequences have to be drawn.

Q: Your discussions with the Iranians have been going on for nearly three years, haven't they?

A: Yes, since 2003.

Q: So where's the harm in waiting a few more weeks?

A: The ministers' meeting comes ahead of the G8 summit. It's only natural for the Six to review the situation regardless of what happens. I can't prejudge what they're going to say next. I don't think we're intending, as you said, to spoil the whole process. It's perfectly natural given the contacts that are taking place now for ministers to meet on July 12 to see where we are vis-à-vis the Iranian side, if there's an answer, or the beginning of an answer, in what direction it's going and to draw the consequences. There's the question of spoiling the whole process. The Six continue to be in a very constructive spirit.

Q: All the same, you'd like an Iranian answer before the St. Petersburg meeting?

A: As the minister said. A swift response in our mind means an answer before the G8 summit.

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