No new Iran sanctions in UN draft
Posted
Six world powers have agreed on a draft resolution on Iran's nuclear program, but it includes no new sanctions, in line with Russia's preference, senior United States and European officials say.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says the six powers have agreed to submit the draft text to the 15-nation United Nations Security Council for discussions on Friday afternoon (local time).
A vote could come as early as Saturday (local time).
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the aim of the new resolution is not to impose any new sanctions against Tehran but to show unity after disagreements with Russia over its invasion of Georgia.
"I think it's also especially important that the Iranians recognise that the P5 plus 1 process is intact," Dr Rice said.
She was referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States and Germany, the powers seeking to persuade Iran to halt its suspected pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
The United States and Europeans had wanted a fourth round of sanctions on Iran, which refuses to halt nuclear enrichment work.
China and especially Russia oppose further sanctions.
Mr Miliband says the text "reaffirms existing resolutions that are on the UN books."
Although the draft resolution has no new penalties, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says the text "does not rule them out either."
Mr Miliband says the resolution also reaffirms a determination to press ahead with "further discussions and further steps" on Iran's nuclear program.
The meeting on Iran was originally scheduled for Thursday (local time) but it was postponed after Russia withdrew to protest US criticism of its invasion of Georgia.
Russian diplomats say Moscow was letting the west know it could not be sidelined on issues like Iran where it is a key player.
Separately, Dr Rice told the Security Council that she wants it to take up Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threats against Israel.
Dr Rice says his comments that the Jewish state "should be wiped from the face of the map, should be destroyed and should not exist" were unacceptable.
- Reuters
