U.N. Security Council powers held out hope on Monday for agreement this week on a statement to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, but a deal still appeared elusive before a forthcoming ministerial meeting.Russia, backed by China, opposes heavy Security Council involvement on Iran, fearing it would lead to punitive measures. Moscow last week proposed gutting a large part of the draft that asks Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment efforts, which could produce weapons-grade fuel. Tehran says its nuclear research is for peaceful purposes, while the West believes it is a cover for bomb making.
On Thursday, the foreign ministers of the five council powers and Germany are due to meet in Berlin to hammer out strategy and try to break any remaining impasse on the statement.
Britain's U.N. ambassador, Emyr Jones Parry, told reporters: "We need to agree on the text and if possible to have it ready for adoption. If we can finish it before Thursday, we will." But he cautioned that the five were only "edging forward."
"We're looking now at a mix of different comments on basic texts," Jones Parry said. "We've made a bit of progress but we have quite a lot more progress to make."