Iran response not satisfactory-Germany's Merkel

BERLIN, Aug 24 (Reuters) Iran's response to a package of incentives by world powers aimed at resolving a stand-off over its nuclear programme is not satisfactory, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a television interview today.

''From everything I hear, we cannot be satisfied with it,'' Merkel told Germany's N24 television, adding that Iran had not made any mention of plans to suspend nuclear enrichment as demanded by the U N Security Council.

''This needs to be addressed,'' she said in her first comments on Iran's response to the package.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said earlier in Berlin that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana would brief the bloc's 25 foreign ministers in Brussels tomorrow on the situation with Iran and its response to the incentives offer.

However, he said they would not discuss Iran at tomorrow's meeting, which is to focus on the Middle East crisis. He said EU foreign ministers would discuss the Iran nuclear stand-off at a separate meeting next week in Finland.

REUTERS LL RS1810