Interview With Reuters

QUESTION: Can you please evaluate the latest developments in Iran?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Well, I think it is very clear that Iran is isolated internationally. Iran is a country with which we want to negotiate and we -- Europe, United Sates, China, Russia -- are offering negotiations. Iran has not said, “Yes.” We hope it will in the future. So Javier Solana, the European Union Foreign Policy Chief, is going to be talking to Iranian National Security Adviser Ali Larijani. We hope that the result of those talks will be a decision by the government of Iran to agree to negotiations on the future of its nuclear program. None of us want to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons but all of us are quite willing to work with the Iranians to help provide civil nuclear power should that be of interest to the Iranian people and the Iranian government. But Iran needs to come out of its isolation which it has imposed on itself and agree to talks and agree to a peaceful way forward.

QUESTION: How do you see the European and the American cooperation in this aspect?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: I think it’s been excellent. We have been working together with Europe for two years. There is no distance between us. We are partners. I think Europe has done a great job by leading – particularly Germany -- on this issue. We all want to have peace. None of us wants to see a military confrontation with Iran. We all want to give diplomacy a chance to resolve this very serious issue that Iran wishes to change the balance of power in the Middle East and inject a very negative element by developing a nuclear weapons capability over the next few years. None of us wants to see that. So, I think what is strongest about this international effort is the bond between Europe and the United States and particularly the leadership given by Chancellor Merkel and by the German government.

QUESTION: And the other area is Kosovo. What do you think about that?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Well, we think it is time for Kosovo to become independent and we want to push very hard at the United Nations over the next several weeks to see the way forward so the UN will support a process that will lead to Kosovo’s independence. We hope very much the Russians will be with us. We are willing to work with the Russians. We are willing to be flexible to listen to Russian ideas. But that is up to the Russians to decide.

QUESTION: Thank you very much.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much.