1. Wide of European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in news conference
2. Cutaway of journalists
3. Wide of Ashton and Davutoglu at lecterns
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:
"Our purpose in meeting is to now look for tangible, credible ways in which we can move forward. I am not going to go into any detail, that's for the negotiations themselves, but I think there's a strong commitment for us to be here in order to try and show progress in tackling an issue of great concern to us, which is the issues of nuclear weapons and Iran."
5. Cutaway of media
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister:
"Here there is a chance, there is a huge opportunity for not only for two sides but for the world. What we want to achieve is to solve this question through preventing any possibility of any nuclear escalation in the sense of weapons or, but in the same time giving all the facilities for nuclear, I mean, for peaceful nuclear programmes."
7. Cutaway of media
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:
"I'm very clear that what I want to see is progress next week. We've set out very clearly from our perspective what we are discussing and let's see where we get to. And if I may just comment on your second question, I think it's very important to play the role of host, actually, and its recognition of the significance of our relationship that I am delighted that we're in Istanbul."
9. Cutaway of media
10. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister:
"No matter which political view they support, no matter which religious view they express we accept all Lebanese as Turkey's friends. And we view Lebanon's consistency as valuable as our own consistency. In this respect we have been involved in heavy diplomatic traffic in the past few days. Tomorrow we will listen to (Lebanese Prime Minister Saad) Mr Hariri and accordingly we will continue our dialogue with all sides involved in the issue."
11. Journalists taking notes
12. Wide of end of news conference presser ending
13. Ashton and Davutoglu shaking hands
STORYLINE
The EU's foreign policy chief held talks with Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss upcoming nuclear talks in the city between Iran and world powers.
Catherine Ashton said there was a strong commitment to "show progress in tackling an issue of great concern to us, which is the issues of nuclear weapons and Iran."
The next phase of the nuclear discussions between the P5+1 (the UK, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US) and Iran will take place next week.
Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also met with Ali Bagheri, the deputy to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Bagheri is known to have a direct line to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his involvement reflects the importance Iran attaches to the January 21-22 talks.
Iran says foreign experts can accompany the international envoys it has invited to inspect its nuclear facilities ahead of the meeting.
Ashton already has said the EU will not go on the tour, insisting the inspection of nuclear sites should be done by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran insists its uranium enrichment programme is purely for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity, but the United States and its allies fear Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons.
During the news conference Davutoglu said Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is to travel to Turkey later on Thursday for talks following the collapse of his government.
He said he spoke to Hariri twice while he was in the meeting with Ashton.
Foreign Ministry officials said Hariri is expected to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Davutoglu on Friday.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group and its allies threw Lebanon into chaos on Wednesday by resigning from the government and causing it to collapse.
President Michel Suleiman has asked Hariri to stay on as caretaker prime minister while he begins the process of putting a new administration together.
Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government is keen on trying to contribute to peace in the Middle East while developing closer ties with Arab states.
SHOTLIST
1. Wide of European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in news conference
2. Cutaway of journalists
3. Wide of Ashton and Davutoglu at lecterns
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:
"Our purpose in meeting is to now look for tangible, credible ways in which we can move forward. I am not going to go into any detail, that's for the negotiations themselves, but I think there's a strong commitment for us to be here in order to try and show progress in tackling an issue of great concern to us, which is the issues of nuclear weapons and Iran."
5. Cutaway of media
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister:
"Here there is a chance, there is a huge opportunity for not only for two sides but for the world. What we want to achieve is to solve this question through preventing any possibility of any nuclear escalation in the sense of weapons or, but in the same time giving all the facilities for nuclear, I mean, for peaceful nuclear programmes."
7. Cutaway of media
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:
"I'm very clear that what I want to see is progress next week. We've set out very clearly from our perspective what we are discussing and let's see where we get to. And if I may just comment on your second question, I think it's very important to play the role of host, actually, and its recognition of the significance of our relationship that I am delighted that we're in Istanbul."
9. Cutaway of media
10. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister:
"No matter which political view they support, no matter which religious view they express we accept all Lebanese as Turkey's friends. And we view Lebanon's consistency as valuable as our own consistency. In this respect we have been involved in heavy diplomatic traffic in the past few days. Tomorrow we will listen to (Lebanese Prime Minister Saad) Mr Hariri and accordingly we will continue our dialogue with all sides involved in the issue."
11. Journalists taking notes
12. Wide of end of news conference presser ending
13. Ashton and Davutoglu shaking hands
STORYLINE
The EU's foreign policy chief held talks with Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss upcoming nuclear talks in the city between Iran and world powers.
Catherine Ashton said there was a strong commitment to "show progress in tackling an issue of great concern to us, which is the issues of nuclear weapons and Iran."
The next phase of the nuclear discussions between the P5+1 (the UK, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US) and Iran will take place next week.
Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also met with Ali Bagheri, the deputy to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Bagheri is known to have a direct line to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his involvement reflects the importance Iran attaches to the January 21-22 talks.
Iran says foreign experts can accompany the international envoys it has invited to inspect its nuclear facilities ahead of the meeting.
Ashton already has said the EU will not go on the tour, insisting the inspection of nuclear sites should be done by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran insists its uranium enrichment programme is purely for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity, but the United States and its allies fear Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons.
During the news conference Davutoglu said Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is to travel to Turkey later on Thursday for talks following the collapse of his government.
He said he spoke to Hariri twice while he was in the meeting with Ashton.
Foreign Ministry officials said Hariri is expected to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Davutoglu on Friday.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group and its allies threw Lebanon into chaos on Wednesday by resigning from the government and causing it to collapse.
President Michel Suleiman has asked Hariri to stay on as caretaker prime minister while he begins the process of putting a new administration together.
Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government is keen on trying to contribute to peace in the Middle East while developing closer ties with Arab states.
