US gives EU more time for Iran nuclear talks

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 20 (Reuters) The United States said it would give European negotiator Javier Solana more time for talks on the nuclear issue with Iran, in a concession to Washington's major-power partners.

But US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns insisted major-power foreign ministers, at a two-hour meeting yesterday, reaffirmed support for sanctions if Tehran does not suspend uranium enrichment, although they still had not agreed on specific penalties.

''The United States is willing to support Solana's discussions'' with Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani, which are continuing beyond an August 31 UN deadline for Iran to halt enrichment, Burns told reporters.

''If Iran does not suspend, then we will fulfill (UN Security Council resolution) 1696 and adopt sanctions measures under article 41 of the UN Charter,'' he said after a meeting of foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China.

Italy also attended, because part of the discussion focused on Lebanon, where Italy has committed to send peacekeeping troops. It also hosted a Lebanon conference in July in Rome.

Burns declined to say how long the United States, the prime advocate of sanctions, was willing to wait for Solana's talks with Larijani to bear fruit. US officials said the major powers had a set deadline.

''There will come a time shortly, but I will not put a date on it, when we're going to have to see an unequivocal answer,'' Burns said.

LARIJANI MEETING Larijani, who was expected to meet Solana in New York this week on the fringes of the UN General Assembly, is still in Tehran, US officials said. They said Solana and Larijani would meet soon, but gave no further details.

Some US and European officials believe that the major powers' offer in June of economic and political inducements if Iran halts enrichment has provoked debate within Tehran's leadership, and there may be a chance Iran could accept the terms.

The West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons but Tehran says its nuclear program is for electricity generation.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who hosted Tuesday's meeting, said earlier that she would press her guests to back the US call for sanctions against Iran.

Burns and other U.S. officials previously had predicted that the major powers would move quickly to enact sanctions by mid-September.

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

Burns insisted the major powers were agreed on the way forward, including firm backing for a diplomatic solution and sanctions if that falls through.

But State Department Sean McCormack said it would take weeks to draft and agree on a sanctions resolution.

Earlier, Burns told a US Senate committee in Washington that the first sanctions to be imposed on Iran if it fails to suspend its nuclear program would aim to curb its access to civilian technologies that might help it build atomic weapons.

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