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Blair-Rice talks to focus on Iran Mid-East tops Blair-Rice agenda
(about 7 hours later)
British PM Tony Blair is to discuss possible sanctions against Iran when he meets US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for talks at his Chequers home. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has held private talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany have been leading efforts to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme. A spokeswoman said the talks - over breakfast at Mr Blair's Chequers home - focused on Middle East issues.
The countries' foreign ministers agreed on Friday to begin consultations on possible UN sanctions against Iran. She said Mr Blair would go back to the Middle East and wanted to get Ms Rice's impressions after her recent trip.
The talks could start next week, though China and Russia favour more diplomacy. On Friday, foreign ministers from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany decided to begin talks on sanctions against Iran.
Western powers fear that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies saying that it is simply trying to develop nuclear energy.Western powers fear that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies saying that it is simply trying to develop nuclear energy.
A statement agreed in London on Friday after a meeting between foreign ministers from the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany said the six powers will now discuss unspecified measures to be taken against Tehran. Mr Blair and Ms Rice had "a general discussion about the Middle East so Iran was not the main focus," Mr Blair's spokeswoman said.
'Always open' "The prime minister did say when he made his visit to the Middle East that he would be going back, so it is right that he talks to Condoleezza [Rice] when she has just got back from the region herself."
BBC correspondent Jonathan Beale says Washington believes the decision to impose sanctions has now been taken. No statement has been issued following the talks.
According to our correspondent, a senior US diplomat had confirmed talks would begin early next week on economic sanctions to be used against Tehran. Ms Rice has just returned from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Iraq.
But Russia played down the significance of the deal saying that no-one was talking about a vote in the UN Security Council in the immediate future.
The six nations had offered Iran a package of incentives in return for the suspension of its uranium enrichment programme.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana was present to brief ministers on his talks with Iran.
He said earlier that "the door to negotiations is and will be always open", despite saying earlier this week that little progress had been made in his "endless hours" of talks with Tehran.