Germany's Wadephul expects UK to remain committed to E3 under new PM

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday he expected the United Kingdom to remain fully committed to the E3 diplomatic format with Germany and France under newly appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, Wadephul said he had been assured before Burnham took office that the new British government had a strong interest in maintaining the trilateral format.

He also congratulated Ed Miliband on his appointment as Britain's foreign minister, saying the E3 would have an important role to play if diplomacy resumed over Iran.

"Given that the situation surrounding Iran has effectively reached a dead end and negotiations will be necessary, it is good to know that France, Britain and Germany stand ready to play a role," Wadephul said. He added that the E3 was "an important practical instrument" to ensure Europe remained "capable of dialogue and action."

He said there were currently no practical negotiations taking place on either Ukraine or Iran, adding that diplomacy was needed to end both conflicts.

The German government attaches great importance to continuity in the E3 format, he said.