UNITED NATIONS, June 28: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday reiterated his call that Iran speed up its response to recent international proposals on ending the impasse over its nuclear programme, following his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who is in New York to attend a UN conference.

A statement issued by a UN spokesman said ‘the Secretary-General expects that ongoing technical negotiations will continue among the parties’.

Talking to the reporters before Tuesday’s meeting, Mr Annan recalled those contacts with Mr Mottaki in Geneva. “I indicated after my discussions with the foreign minister that I was under the impression I did not think they will give their answer before the G8 summit. I didn’t go as far as to say mid-August, and I hope it is still possible for them to give an answer before mid-August, but I will pursue that with the minister,” he said.

Iran says its activities are aimed at the production of energy but the United States and other countries insist it is clandestinely seeking to produce nuclear weapons. Last August, Iran rescinded its voluntary suspension of nuclear fuel conversion, which can produce the enriched uranium necessary either for nuclear power generation or for nuclear weapons.

Mr Annan and Mr Mottaki also exchanged views on Iraq in the context of the meeting of regional partners that Iran is expected to convene in Tehran early next month.