China urges peaceful resolution of Iran standoff

Beijing, Aug 22: China again called for a peaceful resolution to Iran's nuclear standoff with the West today and said threats of force and sanctions were unhelpful.

The United States, France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia offered a package of economic and other incentives in June, aiming to persuade Iran to stop work that the West says is helping build nuclear warheads.

Iran is due to reply today to the package but Iranian officials say Iran does not accept the key demand to suspend uranium enrichment.

Sun Bigan, China's envoy to the West Asia today, told reporters China's position on the standoff had been well established.

''We stand for resolution through peaceful negotiation,'' he said. ''Threats of force and sanctions cannot settle the problem...

''We hope the Iran nuclear issue can be peacefully resolved,'' Sun said. ''Creating tension is detrimental not only to the region but to ourselves.'' Iran's refusal to suspend the enrichment would be tantamount to rejecting the package, but would not yet trigger action by the UN Security Council, which passed a resolution last month giving Iran until August 31 to halt the enrichment programme or face possible sanctions.

The United States also says it wants a diplomatic solution to the standoff but has refused to rule out military action.

Reuters

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