Istanbul, Dhu-AlQa'dah 3, 1433, Sep 19, 2012, SPA - High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton told top Iranian nuclear negotiator Said Jalili in Istanbul that there must be progress soon on solving the stand-off over the Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear programme, her spokesperson said Wednesday. "While it was not a formal negotiating round, it was a useful and constructive meeting and an important opportunity to stress once again to Iran the urgent need to make progress," the spokesperson said about Tuesday evening's meeting. Ashton was meeting Jalili on behalf of the five permanent UN Security Council countries and Germany, who want Tehran to halt enrichment of uranium in return for cooperation on nuclear and aviation technology, according to a report of dpa. Ashton's spokesperson indicated that no new round of talks had been agreed by saying that Ashton would "discuss the way forward" with foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China next week at the UN General Assembly in New York. --SPA 13:40 LOCAL TIME 10:40 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1031320