Global General
Six-power Iran talks undecided on sanctions
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-17 09:32
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 Mourners shout anti US and Israel during the funeral of Tehran University professor Massoud Ali-Mohammadi in northern Tehran January 14, 2010. [Agencies] |
NEW YORK: Diplomats from six powers ended their talks on the Iranian nuclear issue here Saturday without a decision, a Russian diplomat said.
Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian delegate, told reporters: "It is inconclusive in the sense that we didn't make any decisions right away" after the closed-door meeting between diplomats from Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States.
The meeting kicked off shortly after noon (1700 GMT) at the European Union Mission to the United Nations in midtown Manhattan, New York City.
The just-concluded meeting took place at a time when the United States is pushing for new sanctions against Iran.
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters in Beijng that China expected the parties involved in the Iranian nuclear issue to intensify diplomatic efforts, safeguard and promote the process of dialogue and actively seek a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution to the issue.
China has consistently advocated a peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue through diplomatic negotiations, so as to maintain the validity of the international nuclear non-proliferation system and peace and stability in the Middle East region, said Jiang.
"We always believe that sanctions are not the way to solve the root issues," she said.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday that the Obama administration has concluded that the best way to pressure Iran to come clean on its nuclear ambitions is to impose new sanctions aimed at the country's ruling elite.
Iran repeatedly denied the Western accusations that it is developing nuclear weapons, and insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful and solely geared toward generating electricity for its civilian population.
