(BRUSSELS) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Wednesday that he wants "several meetings" with Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani before he submits a report to the UN Security Council next month.

"I hope to be able to see Larijani as soon as possible and not just once but several meetings, which will be needed for the report to the Security Council," he told members of the European Parliament.

Solana must report to major world powers Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States before mid-November on Iran's willingness to give up uranium enrichment in exchange for political and trade incentives.

The West, led by the United States, believes that Iran is trying to covertly use its civilian nuclear programme to build an atom bomb, but the Islamic republic says it only wants to generate electricty.

Despite several meetings last year, Solana and Larijani failed to overcome Tehran's objections to suspending uranium enrichment before sitting down to negotiate the terms of its future nuclear development.

The major powers, split over whether to impose further sanctions against Iran, said last week that they would wait for Solana's report and another from the head of the UN nuclear watchdog before deciding what action to take.

Solana said it was important to "send a clear message to Tehran that it does not have unlimited time".

He said he would try to reach Larijani by telephone on Thursday to see when their first meeting could take place.

Text and Picture Copyright 2007 AFP. All other Copyright 2007 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.