Babacan: "We're taking the initiative to solve the Iranian nuclear dispute peacefully"

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, on the sidelines of the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran, Iran, yesterday met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. He also held talks with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili. Babacan's talks were dominated by bilateral relations, the international dispute over Iran's nuclear program, and Ahmedinejad's forthcoming visit to Turkey. Afterwards, Babacan told reporters that the nuclear dispute could be solved through dialogue. "What is important is that the parties to the issue must understand each other clearly and continue talking," he said, and added that Turkey was taking the initiative to seek a peaceful solution to the issue. Babacan is expected to meet today with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Laricani.