Russia, China urge diplomatic solution for Iran

Beiging, Mar 16: Russia and China, veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council, are urging a diplomatic solution to the crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions, Russia's ambassador to China said today.

Iran was reported to the Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions, after the UN nuclear watchdog found that Tehran was not cooperating with inspectors seeking to assess its nuclear programme.

''We both believe we need to seek political solutions to the issues through diplomatic channels,'' Ambassador Sergei Razov told reporters in Beijing.

''Russian and Chinese cooperation has played an important role in keeping the Iran nuclear issue on the track of a diplomatic solution,'' he added.

Razov said the Iran issue, as well as multilateral negotiations over North Korea's nuclear programmes, would feature in talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao when Putin visits China next week.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said there was still space for diplomacy.

''All the parties concerned should show more patience and flexibility and seize every moment to resolve the issue peacefully,'' he told a separate news conference.

Western countries are pushing for the UN Security Council to press for a full suspension of Iran's nuclear fuel activities, including research.

Peaceful intentions

The United States and European Union countries have said Iran is seeking the ability to make nuclear weapons, but Iran says its intentions are peaceful. Russia has proposed a compromise plan that would allow Iran to continue civilian nuclear activities as long as it reprocesses fuel in an internationally monitored plant on Russian soil.

But Iran has said it will not stop its nuclear research, even if instructed to do so by the Security Council.

Russia's Razov and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui also urged an early resumption of the six-party talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programmes.

The talks, grouping Russia, China, the two Koreas, the United States and Japan, were last held in November. But Pyongyang has refused to return to the table, angered over Washington's crackdown on firms it suspects of helping North Korea in illicit financial activities such as counterfeiting.

''We hope both countries will bear in mind the larger interest to seek an early settlement of the financial dispute so the six-party talks will be resumed at an early date,'' Li said.

Former Cold War foes, China and Russia held their first joint military exercises last August.

They will continue military contacts in 2006, the ''Year of Russia in China'', Li and Razov said, adding their cooperation should not alarm other countries.

''The primary objective of such exercises is to safeguard peace and stability in the region and the world at large,'' Razov said.

Reuters