Germany-Iran-US
The German government here Friday welcomed America's participation at Saturday's European Union-led nuclear talks with Iran in the Swiss city of Geneva.

"From our point of view, it is a very strong signal and we are welcoming it. It also underscores that the US is taking tomorrow's meeting seriously," deputy foreign ministry spokesman Andreas Peschke told journalists at the weekly press briefing in Berlin.

He also reaffirmed his German "support" for Washington's participation in the nuclear discussions.

In a major shift from a long-standing policy, the State Department announced Wednesday Under Secretary of State William Burns, the third-highest US diplomat, would join the 5 plus 1 talks with Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili.

Meanwhile, Peschke expressed hoped that Iran would "react constructively" to the western cooperation offer in a bid to overcome the present impasse over Tehran's nuclear program.