Russia and China said on Thursday diplomacy was the best way to tackle the
dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions, a day before a U.N. watchdog delivers its
verdict on whether Tehran has met Security Council demands.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani
delivers a speech at a conference on Iran's Nuclear Policies and Prospects
in Tehran, April 25, 2006。 [Reuters] |
Mohamed
ElBaradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is widely expected
to tell the council and the agency's board on Friday that Iran has not stopped
enriching uranium or fully answered IAEA queries as the U.N. body asked a month
ago.
"A diplomatic option suggests different ways to react. We will discuss this
issue with our European partners, the United States and the international
community," President Vladimir Putin said, stressing that any response should be
coordinated.
"We oppose the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction including by
Iran. But we believe Iran should have an opportunity to develop peaceful nuclear
energy projects," he said after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in
Siberia.
Unlike several of his ministers, Putin did not explicitly rule out possible
sanctions until there was proof of Western suspicions that Tehran was secretly
seeking atomic weapons.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is purely peaceful, but it has also vowed
to pursue large-scale enrichment of uranium, which can be used in bombs as well
as power stations.
China gave no sign it was ready to line up behind Western powers seeking
sanctions against the Islamic Republic, but analysts said it was unlikely to
block their way.
Again advocating negotiations, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing called for
calm, restraint and patience.
"A diplomatic solution is the correct choice and is in the interests of all
parties," spokesman Qin Gang said. "China urges all parties to avoid measures
that could worsen the situation."
The United States, backed by Britain and France, favours limited sanctions if
Iran refuses to halt enrichment very soon. Russia and China, the Security
Council's other two veto-holding permanent members, have hitherto opposed any
embargo.
Consequently the Western powers will not push a sanctions measure next week,
but may propose a resolution to make U.N. demands set out in a March 29 council
statement legally binding.
If Iran does not comply within a reasonable timeframe, the United States and
its allies will try to introduce punitive measures in a subsequent resolution, a
council diplomat said.