G8 says it wants clear Iran reply on July 5

MOSCOW, June 29 (Reuters) The Group of Eight industrialised nations said today it wanted a ''clear and substantive'' reply from Iran next week to a major power offer over Tehran's nuclear programmes.

''We are disappointed in the absence of an official Iranian response to the positive proposal. We expect to hear a clear and substantive Iranian response to these proposals at the planned meeting of Javier Solana ... on 5 July and to bring these discussions to a rapid conclusion,'' a G8 foreign ministers communique said.

It was referring to a planned meeting between European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larjani.

REUTERS CH BD1816