Deal with Iran is common success of Russia, EU - envoy
BRUSSELS. Jan 22 (Interfax) - Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov has lauded the European Union's contribution to the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program in the context of the new phase of the implementation of the P5+1 deal with Iran, which started on January 20.
"Formally, the European Union is not a member of the Sextet but it de facto has a coordinating role with the consent of the group members," Chizhov told Russian reporters in Brussels on Tuesday.
"The deal with the Iranians is a common success of the European Union and us. We give credit to the efforts of [EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy] Catherine Ashton and [her deputy] Helga Schmid," the Russian envoy emphasized.
"The EU met its part of the Sextet's deal with Iran" with the EU Council's decision on the partial lift and suspension for six months of the European sanctions against Tehran for the period of further negotiations, which took effect on January 20, he mentioned.
As to the EU attitude towards the exchange of Russian commodities for Iranian oil, Chizhov said, "the EU did not raise that question."
"This issue is not being discussed. If anyone asks [this question], I am confident that the answer will be clear and unambiguous - the oil embargo was unilateral, it was not a decision of the UN Security Council, so it was never binding for us and we never breached a UN Security Council resolution," the Russian envoy said.
