AFP: China said Tuesday an upcoming six-nation meeting in Berlin on the Iranian nuclear issue was “an important part” of efforts to solve the stand-off.
BEIJING, March 28, 2006 (AFP) – China said Tuesday an upcoming six-nation meeting in Berlin on the Iranian nuclear issue was “an important part” of efforts to solve the stand-off.
“The six-nation meeting is an important part of the efforts of the international community to properly resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiation,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular briefing.
“China will be open to any suggestion that is helpful to the proper solution of the Iranian issue through negotiation.”
The Berlin meeting on Thursday will bring together Germany and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, including China.
Qin reiterated China’s position that there was still room for solving the issue within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“We should properly resolve this issue through negotiation. Now there is still room to resolve this issue within the IAEA framework. The international community should not quit their efforts,” he said.
There is growing impatience in Washington with the lack of a firm response by the international community to Iran, which insists its nuclear program is for strictly peaceful purposes.
The Security Council has been trying in vain for the past two weeks to reach agreement on a Franco-British statement, backed by Washington, that calls on Iran to honour its international nuclear commitments.
Russia and China have opposed language in the proposed statement that would even hint at punitive measures against their ally and key trading partner.
