Russia’s Role in P5+1 Talks Stressed

Russia played a constructive role in the talks on Iran’s nuclear issue in Vienna, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Monday. The German top diplomat was referring to the previous round of the nuclear talks in the Austrian capital in late November, which led to the decision to extend the negotiations on a final nuclear deal until the end of next June.  A new round of talks started in Geneva on Monday. Due to Russia’s role, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) succeeded in taking a step forward, Russian news agency TASS quoted Steinmeier as saying. “It didn’t seem to us Russia took a confusing position at the talks with Iran because of the situation in Ukraine and the conflict between the West and the East,” he said, adding, “On the contrary, Moscow helped the P5+1 group take a step forward.”