MOSCOW, May 3: World powers concerned about Iran’s nuclear programme want Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment during a negotiation period, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying Saturday.

“Our first conditions are the freezing, suspension of uranium enrichment.

The approach of the six (powers) is that Iran should suspend enrichment only for the period in which talks continue,” Lavrov told Interfax and ITAR-TASS news agencies.Lavrov, speaking after talks in London among the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, said there had been no discussion of imposing new sanctions on Iran.

“There wasn’t anything about new sanctions although our American colleagues take the view that pressure on Iran must be maintained.

“It’s necessary to explain to Iran the advantages it would receive from agreeing to start talks, on the basis of one condition — the freezing of uranium enrichment,” Lavrov said.

He added that the parties meeting in London had discussed earlier proposals put forward by Iran encompassing nuclear energy, trade and investment and regional security issues.

“The view of the six (powers) is that Iran must cease enrichmentof uranium only for the period in which talks last.”

“It is not an ultimatum, it is a proposal,” Lavrov said. “It is a very genuine proposal.”

Western powers fear Tehran wants to use its nuclear programme to make atomic weapons but the Islamic republic insists the drive is peaceful and solely aimed at providing energy for a growing population.

Major powers agreed on Friday to make a new offer of incentives to Iran to halt its sensitive nuclear work, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.

“We very much hope that they will recognise the seriousness and the sincerity with which we have approached this issue and that they will respond in a timely manner to the suggestions that we are making,” Miliband said on Friday in a statement, saying the details of the offer would not be made public.

The group is comprised the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — along with Germany.

In June 2006, the six countries offered incentives to Iran, including civil nuclear cooperation and wider trade in civil aircraft, energy, high technology and agriculture, if Tehran suspended uranium enrichment and negotiated with the six.

Tehran has so far spurned that incentives offer, saying it wanted to be rewarded for suspending enrichment, and brushed off three UN Security Council resolutions that imposed sanctions for its failure to halt the nuclear work.

Russia has been the main country to promote the idea of refreshing the June 2006 offer while the United States has made no secret of its scepticism, with US officials saying they saw little reason to expect Iran to change course.—AFP/Reuters