As the Security Council debates further sanctions against Iran,
China's senior UN envoy issued a call on Wednesday for the
situation to be resolved peacefully and diplomatically.
A peaceful resolution would ensure "the authority and
effectiveness of international non-proliferation efforts, improve
regional stability and fulfill the common goals of the
international community," Ambassador Tang Guoqiang told a board
meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"It is now imperative that we start negotiations without delay,"
said Tang, throwing his support behind the "time out" proposal, put
forward by IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei as relating to
the suspension of Iranian uranium enrichment activities and the
related lifting of UN Security Council sanctions.
Iran, which has consistently reiterated that its nuclear efforts
are wholly peaceful, blithely ignored a February 21 UN Security
Council deadline requiring it to suspend sensitive activities such
as uranium enrichment and reprocessing.
At its board meeting this week, the IAEA board of governors is
set to approve the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution
1737 which would see the agency reduce technical cooperation with
Iran in certain technological fields.
This has led to complaints of unfair treatment from Iran,
pointing out that the IAEA has uncovered no evidence of any
activities connected to nuclear bomb-making.
Tang voiced China's hopes that all parties would show
flexibility and encouraged the resumption of avenues of dialogue.
China will focus on continuing its constructive role in helping
bring the Iran nuclear issue to a close through
diplomatic negotiations.
(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2007)
