Bush says Iran has choice on nuclear issue

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) US President George W Bush today said that if Tehran sticks to its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, the Iranian nuclear issue will go to the UN Security Council.

''The choice is up to the Iranians,'' Bush told reporters after Tehran welcomed Washington's offer of talks but rejected its precondition that it stop its enrichment program.

Bush also said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao, whose countries wield veto power in the Security Council, but stopped short of saying they agreed to back any US push for sanctions if the offer of talks fails.

A senior administration official had said yesterday that the Bush administration believes it has a consensus among key allies, including Russia and China, to pursue sanctions if Tehran keeps resisting the US demand.

Bush reasserted a major shift in US policy under which it is now offering to engage in multilateral negotiations with Iran if it ''verifiably'' abandons its program to enrich uranium, the fuel for nuclear reactors and a vital component in atom bombs.

''We'll see whether or not that is the firm position of their government,'' Bush said after Iran issued its initial response.

''And if that's what they decide to do, then the next step of course will be for our coalition partners to go to the United Nations Security Council.'' Asked whether Russia and China were on board with the US approach, Bush said only that both countries ''understand our strategy'' and that they agreed Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons.

He said if Iran remained ''obstinate,'' he would ''expect Russia to participate in the U.N. Security Council.'' ''We'll see whether or not they agree to do that,'' he added.

''I got a positive response from the president. He said he understands our strategy and he agrees we want to solve this issue diplomatically.'' The five permanent UN Security Council powers plus Germany were meeting in Vienna today seeking an agreement on incentives for Iran to scrap potentially weapons-related nuclear work.

Washington and its allies suspect Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon but Iran, the world's fourth largest oil exporter, insists its nuclear program is aimed purely at producing energy.

REUTERS PR RK2235