The United States and Iran concluded the first round of high-level talks under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday, with mediators Qatar and Pakistan announcing the formation of a High Level Committee to oversee the negotiations going forward.
A Roadmap Within 60 Days
In a joint statement, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan said the talks, dubbed the Lake Lucerne Summit, were "conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere," with progress made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks.
The two mediating countries said the parties had "agreed upon a roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks."
High Level Committee To Oversee Nuclear, Sanctions Issues
Building on last week's MoU, the statement said the parties agreed to establish a High Level Committee that will provide political oversight on the mediation, with chief negotiators reporting regularly to the panel. The committee will lead working groups focused on the nuclear issue, sanctions relief, and a monitoring and dispute resolution group "to ensure the effective implementation of the MoU, and on other matters."
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Communication Line For Strait Of Hormuz
The statement said a communication line between the parties has been established for the period outlined in the MoU "to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz," the waterway Iran had earlier declared shut.
De-Confliction Cell For Lebanon
The parties also agreed to set up a de-confliction cell involving the US, Iran, Lebanon and the mediators "to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon as per the MoU."
Technical talks are set to continue through the week at the Burgenstock resort "on all issues," the statement said.
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