Major powers meet on Iran's nuclear plans

NEW YORK, Sep 20 (Reuters) Major powers held discussions on Iran's nuclear program, with Washington calling for punitive action against Tehran after it failed to meet an August 31 UN deadline to give up its enrichment activities.

Foreign ministers from China, Russia, Britain, France and the United States -- all permanent members of the UN Security Council -- plus Italy and Germany attended a dinner hosted by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at her New York hotel.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who is negotiating on behalf of the major powers with Iran, was also at the dinner.

Rice said beforehand said she would press her guests to back the US call for sanctions against Iran for its refusal to abandon uranium enrichment activities, which Tehran argues isfor civilian use and Washington says is to build a bomb.

However, China, Russia are some European allies have voiced skepticism. French President Jacques Chirac said yesterday he opposed setting a deadline for sanctions, arguing that dialogue should be allowed to run its course.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the foreign ministers would ''touch on'' the issue of a UN Security Council sanctions resolution at the dinner but it would take weeks to come up with an actual text.

REUTERS DKS BST0626