Turkey vows to continue its efforts as tension rises over Iran row

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said in Ankara his contacts to ease the tension would continue but played down the expectations of a speedy result on the issue. Ankara has been stepped in to ease the tension as the Iranian Foreign Minister visited Turkey a day after the U.S. President's top security advisor.

On Sunday the Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili stopped in Istanbul on his way to Tehran from Geneva, where he held talks with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The U.S. no. 3 diplomat, William Burns, also attended the meeting for the first.

Babacan said "there is no reason to be pessimistic." "Mr. Jelili and Mr. Solana have said they will have another contact in several weeks. Until that time, our contacts with both sides will continue... This is a request that has come from both sides" he added.

Turkey has no formal mediation mission, Babacan said, describing the country's role as "one that is in a sense consolidating and facilitating" the negotiations between Iran and the six major powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

The six have offered Iran a package of incentives in return for freezing uranium enrichment, which the West fears could be part of a secret program to make a nuclear weapon.

Babacan spoke of "a deep confidence gap" between the sides and said Turkey was trying "to rectify any misunderstandings and ensure that they better understand their mutual concerns."

Iran faces a two-week deadline to give a final answer to world powers seeking a breakthrough in the crisis, which has raised fears of regional conflict and sent oil prices spiraling.

The U.S. presence, although Burns did not make any talks, in Geneva meeting had raised hopes of improvement in the process. Jalili and Solana hailed their latest talks as "constructive" but Solana lamented that Tehran had still not given a final response.

However, Washington said Tehran should respond in two weeks or face new sanctions. Iran has two weeks to respond seriously to an international offer to halt its sensitive nuclear work or face further "punitive measures," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned.

The offer envisions a six-week commitment from Iran to stop expanding enrichment, during which time no additional sanctions would be imposed. That is intended to create the framework for formal negotiations that, it is hoped, will lead to a permanent halt of enrichment.

A meeting in Geneva on Saturday sent a "very strong message to the Iranians that they can't go and stall ... and that they have to make a decision," Rice told reporters traveling with her to the Middle East on Monday.

"It clarifies Iran's choices and we will see what Iran does in two weeks. But I think the diplomatic process now has a kind of new energy in it," Rice said.

Rice, who was heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss Iran and other Middle East issues, said Washington would also look at further unilateral measures it can take to put the squeeze on Iranian financial institutions.

Solana, who presented Iran with a major package aimed at ending the standoff on behalf of world powers last month, said he was waiting for a decision from Tehran on an initial deal to start pre-negotiations.