SAPPORO, Japan (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told AFP in an interview on Monday that he was encouraged by recent dialogue between Iran and the European Union over Tehran's nuclear programme.

"I am concerned about the Iranian nuclear issue. At the same time, recently there has been some encouraging dialogue going on between the European Union and the Iranian government," Ban said.

"I hope this dialogue will continue and will bring some good resolution of this issue," he said aboard his plane headed to a Group of Eight summit in Japan.

But Ban did not specify which particular aspects of the EU's dialogue with Iran he found encouraging.

Iran on Friday delivered its response to a package drawn up by six world powers offering technology and negotiations if it suspends uranium enrichment, which the West fears could be used to make atomic weapons.

Iran handed the response, which has not been made public, to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

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