UNSC members hold private meeting on Iran

Russia and China were likely to face pressure to support hauling Iran before the UN Security Council.

Russia and China were likely to face pressure to support hauling Iran before the United Nations Security Council at a meeting with US and European officials in London on Monday.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was joining foreign ministers from the four other permanent Security Council members -- Britain, France, Russia and China -- plus Germany -- in an attempt to break the diplomatic deadlock over Iran's nuclear programme.

HT Image

Germany, France, Britain and the US have called for Iran's referral to the Security Council, a move that could lead to sanctions. China and Russia remain unconvinced.

"China and Russia are the problem from the point of view of the other four, but for different reasons," said Victor Bulmer-Thomas, director of the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank.

The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency will meet later in the week to decided how to respond to Iran's decision to resume its contentious nuclear research activities.

Britain's Foreign Office refused to say what would be discussed at Monday's meeting. But a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it would seek to establish whether China and Russia are persuaded that the time is right to bring in the UN Security Council.

Russia has offered to process uranium on Iran's behalf and is thought to be reluctant for Iran to be referred to the Security Council while negotiations continue.

Though Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said on Friday that the Russian proposal does not meet "all the nuclear energy needs of Iran," Iranian officials have indicated talks should continue.

"We need to continue talks about the Russian plan," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday. Asefi said the door remained open for a compromise between Iran and Europe.

"Dialogue is the only solution," he said. "Europeans should not act in haste. They should note that agreement comes out of talks."

Following discussions with Larijani last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Beijing opposed "arbitrary sanctions, or the threat of sanctions" against Iran. He said Russia wanted time for the enrichment offer to be considered, while China was reluctant to take a path which could lead to sanctions against Iran.

"There is likely to be a lot of debate on Monday over the Russian proposal, which will be treated with enormous skepticism by America, less so by the Europeans and is supported by China," said Bulmer-Thomas.

"Another suggestion likely to be aired is for the Americans to hold direct talks with Iran as an alternative to referral." The West fears Iran wants to develop a nuclear bomb, but Tehran says it is only seeking civilian nuclear energy.

On Sunday, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said diplomats were trying to "judge the right course in what is a fast-changing situation."

"We would much prefer to resolve this in the IAEA," he said. "That's what it's there for."

The Monday dinner meeting is to be attended by Rice, Straw, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, Russian Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.