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  • GERMANY: Resistance to Iran sanctions high as powers meet

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GERMANY: Resistance to Iran sanctions high as powers meet

The United States looked increasingly isolated on Thursday (September 7, 2006) in its bid to persuade other powers to impose sanctions on Iran, with China urging dialogue and France signalling flexibility on the key issue of uranium enrichment. As top diplomats from six major powers met in Berlin to consider what steps to take after Iran ignored a UN Security Council deadline to stop sensitive nuclear work, China and France signalled they were focusing on diplomacy. France suggested world powers may be flexible over an earlier demand that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment work before starting talks. Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the timing of any suspension was crucial and that it could be discussed. The comments highlighted the underlying differences as diplomats from Germany and the five permanent Security Council members -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - met in the German capital. China and Russia are reluctant to impose sanctions and question whether Tehran really poses a nuclear threat to the world as the United States and EU believe. Tehran rejects Western accusations that it is trying to develop the capability to produce atomic weapons. Iran, the world's fourth biggest oil exporter, insists it wants nuclear fuel only to peacefully generate electricity. Washington hopes to persuade Russia and China to raise the pressure on the Islamic Republic by preparing to ask the UN Security Council to consider sanctions, diplomats from several countries to participate in the talks told Reuters. Some, however, expressed doubt that Washington would succeed given opposition in European capitals, Moscow and Beijing, with a EU diplomat from a country participating in the talks saying that although Britain, France and Germany had led diplomatic efforts on behalf of the European Union, all 25 members' views had to be taken into account at this stage.

ITN Source | September 8, 2006Watch more videos from ITN Source

Tags:. .raise. .capitals. .accusations. .peacefully. .given











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