Iran says Europe lacks authority in atomic talks

TEHRAN, Oct 31 (Reuters) Iran's president has told his Russian counterpart talks over Iran's nuclear dispute were being hindered because the European side did not have enough authority, Iran's state television reported today.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comments to Russia's Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation, the report said. Moscow had said the telephone discussion took place today.

''The most important problem in continuing Iran and Europe's negotiations (over the nuclear issue) is the European side's lack of enough authority (to take decisions),'' the television report quoted Ahmadinejad as telling Putin.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana held months of talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani. But those talks did not reach a deal and Solana said this month it was up to Iran to decide if talks should continue.

Solana had been seeking to coax Iran to halt uranium enrichment, the part of Iran's nuclear programme that most worries the West, and receive incentives offered by six world powers in return.

Iran says it wants to make fuel for nuclear power plants but the West believes Tehran wants to build atomic bombs.

Iran says negotiations are the only way to resolve the dispute.

But Iran's failure to meet a UN deadline to halt enrichment has opened up the possibility of UN sanctions.

European states have prepared a draft sanctions resolution but Russia has voiced misgivings.

''Some Western countries create obstacles and prevent a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear case,'' Ahmadinejad said.

Iran has often blamed the United States, its arch-foe, for seeking to sway others against Iran. Washington has been seeking to toughen the sanctions resolution.

In a statement yesterday, the Kremlin said Putin and Ahmadinejad had discussed the nuclear dispute and the Russian president had said Moscow favoured further talks.

REUTERS AKJ VV1638