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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Six world powers open Iran sanctions talks |
| 2010-04-09 |
| Six major powers opened talks here Thursday to discuss imposing new UN sanctions on Iran, as China's envoy to the United Nations said it was an "important negotiation." "It's a very important negotiation," Chinese ambassador Li Baodong told reporters as he went into the talks. The talks bring together the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany, who have been negotiating with Iran for months. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner had said in Paris on Wednesday that China had agreed to join the so-called P5+1 talks in New York, home to the UN headquarters, but admitted he was unsure if sanctions would be on the table. "What will this discussion be like? Will we be able to talk about a text, of content? Will we be going through the motions? I don't know," Kouchner said. "China will participate in the relevant discussions," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu confirmed to reporters. "China still believes dialogue and consultation are the best way to solve the nuclear issue." China has until now refused to back Western calls for new sanctions against Tehran, and last week played host to the Islamic republic's chief nuclear negotiator. Beijing has a close diplomatic and trade relationship with Iran, dominated by its imports of Iranian energy resources. Last week, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said China was ready for "serious negotiations" on Iran, a move hailed by the White House as an "important step," but Beijing has so far not signaled any policy shift. The United States and its allies suspect Iran is secretly trying to develop the atomic bomb, but Tehran says its nuclear drive is purely for civilian energy purposes, and that it has the right to nuclear technology. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 I am sure that Iran is quaking in its boots as we speak. |
| Posted by: Kelly 2010-04-09 12:10 |