Bloomberg.com: U.S.
March 14 (Bloomberg) -- Chinese and Russian envoys to the United Nations said they can't support Security Council action on Iran's nuclear program that would go beyond backing for the world body's nuclear watchdog agency.
``What we want to do is to focus on this role, to reinforce, not replace, the International Atomic Energy Agency,'' Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya told reporters after a fourth meeting of the Security Council's five permanent members failed to produce agreement on a statement drafted by France and the U.K. ``There are still a few points where we cannot agree.''
Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov said his government's aim was to decide ``how to better support the IAEA.'' Denisov described the negotiations with a quote he attributed to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, ``The prospects are bright, but the road is winding.''
China and Russia, as veto-holding council members, can block any step to press Iran to resume suspension of its uranium enrichment activities and comply with other IAEA demands. Iran announced that it would resume enrichment after talks with France, Germany and the U.K. broke down.
Iran, holder of the world's second-largest reserves of oil and natural gas, said it has the right to produce enriched uranium, which can be used in nuclear reactors and bombs. The IAEA can't ``conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran,'' Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said in a report send to the Security Council's 15- member governments last week.
Iran's Threat
Iran may review some of its contracts with foreign oil and gas companies if the Security Council imposes sanctions, the nation's oil minister, Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh, said, according to the state-run news agency.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, who hosted today's meeting of the permanent members, said his government's patience with the negotiations is running out. He said Iran used the time involved in the talks with France, Germany and the U.K. to enrich enough uranium to produce nuclear weapons.
``That is why our negotiating process will not be indefinite,'' Bolton said. ``We want to proceed prudently and carefully, but that is one reason we have been trying to bring this to the Security Council for quite some time.''
To contact the reporter of this story:
Bill Varner at the United Nations at wvarner@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: March 14, 2006 12:22 EST
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