On Saturday, July 19, Javier Solana, secretary general of the European Union Council/High Representative for the CFSP, accompanied by the political directors of the Six (Germany, China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Russia), met with the Iranian negotiator Saeed Jalili in Geneva.

This meeting follows up on Mr. Solana's June 14th visit to Tehran with five of the six political directors, when he presented his Iranian interlocutors with the non-paper titled "The Way Forward to Negotiations." This document proposes that a phase of preliminary negotiations, lasting no more than six weeks, precede the formal launch of negotiations. During this preparatory phase, Iran would not increase its number of centrifuges and the Six would adopt no new sanctions ("double freeze"). The formal negotiations would then begin, with Iran's suspension of its sensitive nuclear activities and the UN Security Council's suspension of sanctions (the "double suspension" whose principle was adopted by the Security Council).

During the Geneva meeting, Mr. Jalili presented a document and the conditions for engaging in negotiations (without mentioning the freeze and the suspension of nuclear activities), following up on the letter from Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki two weeks ago.

The Six demonstrated their unity by demanding a clear Iranian response to our "double freeze" proposal within 15 days. Mr. Solana asked Mr. Jalili to re-contact him within this time period to give him Teheran's response.

The Six's determination to engage in negotiations is total. That is why we proposed to Iran that during an initial phase of preparing the negotiations, it refrain from expanding nuclear activities while we adopt no further sanctions. Only afterwards, at the end of this so-called "double freeze" period, would formal negotiations get under way.

Despite our efforts, the Geneva meeting did not allow us to move forward on this key question of the conditions for engaging in negotiations.

The Iranian regime must choose between the path of cooperation and the prospect of growing isolation. If it decides to continue its enrichment activities, continuing to violate Security Council resolutions, it will have to face new sanctions. That is what the international community decided in UNSCR 1803. Adopted on March 3, it gave Iran three months to comply with its international obligations.

Like its partners in the Six, France will spare no effort to achieve a negotiated solution. It hopes Iran will size up the situation and that within 15 days, it will supply a positive answer to the international community's repeated demands.