A European diplomat on a visit to Tehran says he’s making progress in talks over Iran’s nuclear activities. The diplomat, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, is in Iran with a package of economic and political incentives to persuade Iran to give up its domestic uranium enrichment program. He spoke Tuesday after meeting with lead Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani.

• Javier Solana: ’’We had a very good meeting with Dr Larijani and with the minister now. I think the atmosphere was very good, we are going to try to continue. The government and the leaders do have a proposal presented by a group of countries, the European countries, the Russian Federation, the United States and Russia (corrects himself) and China, and I hope very much that we will have soon an answer. We would like very much to continue working and seeing if we can achieve a good agreement that would be beneficial for everybody.”

The incentive package was drawn up last week by the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. In Texas, President Bush was asked about the offer to Iran.

• President Bush: “And so we will see if the Iranians take this offer seriously. The choice is theirs to make. I have said the United States will sit down at the table with them so long as they are willing to suspend their enrichment in a verifiable way. Sounds like a positive response to me.”