Global General

Miliband for dual track strategy against Iran

By Zhang Haizhou and Lei Xiaoxun (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-16 08:12

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband (center) poses with Chinese peacekeeping troops in front of an armored personnel carrier during a visit to a peacekeeping force training centre in Langfang, Hebei province, some 50 kilometers south of Beijing on Monday. [David Gray / REUTERS]

China, Britain to lift key dialogue to higher level: Foreign Ministry

Langfang, Hebei: Visiting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Monday sanctions alone would not resolve the Iran nuclear standoff, and that a "dual-track" strategy, which also encompasses engagement, was needed.

Speaking before heading to Beijing, Miliband said China and Britain - both permanent members of the UN Security Council - had shared interests in ensuring that Teheran abided by Security Council resolutions seeking to curb its nuclear activities.

"We both have commitment in respect of upholding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We need to make all the necessary efforts to uphold the commitment we made," the 44-year-old told China Daily.

It has been widely reported that Miliband would press China to agree on the need for tougher sanctions against Teheran.

Confirming that he would discuss the issue with his Chinese counterpart, Miliband said: "We already have sanctions, no one pretends that they will work on their own. That's why we got to take a dual-track strategy."

Even so, it is clear Downing Street is in favor of sanctions against Iran, Ma Zhengang, a former Chinese ambassador to Britain, pointed out.

Unlike the United States, the British won't press for "extreme" conditions while seeking to impose sanctions. Their diplomatic policies are just "more sophisticated", Ma said.

Beijing's position is that further engagement with Iran should take priority over fresh sanctions.

"The international community needs to be more patient, especially since Iran has not yet totally rejected talks over its nuclear plan", Ma said.

Wu Sike, China's special envoy to the Middle East, had warned earlier this month that tough measures might push Iran into a corner from which Teheran may think "there's no way to turn back".

Iran's recent announcement that it would further expand its nuclear program has increased calls from the P5+1, which consists of the five permanent Security Council members - the US, China, Russia, France and Britain - plus Germany, for tougher sanctions on Teheran.

Teheran rejects Western charges that its nuclear program is aimed at developing bombs and says it will only be used to generate electricity.

Also on Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing and London would lift their strategic dialogue mechanism to a higher level during Miliband's visit.

The two countries held their first and second vice-foreign ministerial-level strategic dialogue in 2005 and 2007, respectively.

"To further strengthen communication at the strategic level between China and Britain, the two sides have decided to lift the strategic dialogue mechanism to a higher level," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

Qin said Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Miliband would hold the strategic dialogue on Tuesday. Miliband is also expected to meet Premier Wen Jiabao the same day.