China supports US talks offer to resolve Iran row

BEIJING, June 2 (Reuters) China supports Washington in resolving the dispute on Iran's nuclear programmes through diplomatic means, Chinese President Hu Jintao told his US counterpart George W Bush during an overnight phone call.

''China is ready to keep contact and coordination with the United States and play a constructive role in resuming the negotiations on the Iran nuclear issue at an early date,'' Hu said in comments carried in an overnight report on the official Xinhua news agency.

But it was still not clear whether China, which holds veto power in the UN Security Council, would support a US push for sanctions if an offer to Iran for talks fails.

Bush said yesterday that if Iran sticks to its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment -- which the West fears is a cover for making nuclear weapons -- the issue will go to the Security Council.

But there is also a renewed push to resolve the dispute diplomatically, with agreement among world powers yesterday on a package of incentives for Iran if it halts the fuel enrichment, which Tehran maintains is for producing electricity.

China and Russia may join the Europeans in presenting the package to Iran, US officials said, but if Iran spurns the gesture the powers may move toward sanctions, possibly involving visa bans or a freeze on assets of senior Iranian officials.

During their phone conversation, Bush also called Hu's visit to Washington in April a success. Hu said the visit had resulted in ''important consensus on promoting bilateral constructive and cooperative relations''.

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