Fresh talks crucial for negotiations

Geneva: A new round of talks between Iran and world powers over Tehran's nuclear programme will make or break the negotiations, a senior Iranian official said.

In a shift of policy, Washington is for the first time sending US diplomat William Burns to join European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and officials from Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China for talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on Saturday.

"These talks will clarify the fate of the negotiations. After the meeting, either negotiations will continue or it will fully stop," an Iranian offcial reported.

When asked whether it meant Iran was ready to freeze any expansion of its nuclear programme in return for the UN Security Council halting further sanctions measures, the sourcesaid "not at all".

The senior Iranian official said Jalili has a full mandate from the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to take any decision in the talks which he described as "crucial".

The powers are seeking a more detailed Iranian response to their enhanced offer of financial and diplomatic incentives to halt secretive nuclear activity that could yield atom bombs.

Solana said he hoped for a "constructive response" at his meeting with Jalili but that he could not guarantee success.

Washington says Burns will not hold talks with Jalili separately and will not act as a negotiator at the Geneva talks, but would put forward the White House position that Iran has to give up enrichment for any real talks to start.