China repeats it’s in accord with Russia on Iran

BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Thursday, a day after
Russian President Vladimir Putin left Beijing, that Beijing and
Moscow are in accord on Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday
criticized a draft U.N. Security Council statement aimed at
pressuring Iran to stop enriching uranium, despite a new offer
of amendments by Western powers.

The next step is likely to be bilateral contacts among
ministers of the council’s five veto-wielding permanent
members, the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia,
diplomats close to the talks said.

A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, Qin Gang, said
President Hu Jintao and Putin discussed Iran during Putin’s
two-day visit.

“China and Russia exchanged views and both sides agreed the
Iran nuclear issue should be resolved through diplomatic
means,” Qin told reporters.

Hu and Putin agreed that “all the related parties should
display flexibility and patience,” Qin added. “China supports
Russia’s active efforts to appropriately resolve the Iran
nuclear issue.”

Russia, backed by China, wants to delete large sections of
the draft statement the Security Council has been studying for
nearly two weeks as a first reaction to Iran’s nuclear
research, which the West believes is a cover for bomb-making.
Iran insists it wants only to produce electric power.

Both nations fear that involvement by the 15-member
council, which can impose sanctions, could escalate and lead to
punitive measures including possibly military action.

Asked whether China and Russia would block the proposed
U.N. statement on Iran, Qin said: “In making any actions or
decisions the concerned parties should be focused on whether
they truly help to reach a lasting resolution of the Iran
nuclear issue, and whether they help the peace and stability of
the region … That is why we should give diplomacy more time
and more space.”

Qin said on Tuesday China supported a Russian compromise
proposal that would allow Iran to use nuclear fuel enriched in
an internationally monitored plant on Russian soil, easing
fears that Tehran could divert atomic material to develop
weapons.