China says 'more concerned' over Iran nuclear crisis

Jordan calls for diplomatic solutions to Iran standoff
Tunis (AFP) March 16, 2010 - Jordan wants political and diplomatic solutions to the nuclear standoff with Iran, a Jordanian minister said Tuesday, adding all countries had the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. "The security and the stability of the Arab countries is directly linked to regional security," Jordan's Interior Minister Nayef Qadai said in Tunis at a meeting of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. "That is why we confirm our support to diplomatic and political solutions concerning the crisis over Iran's nuclear programme," said Qadai, who is president of the Council's 27th session.

Qadai also said "all countries have the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes" and nuclear matters must be dealt with transparently in all cases, including that of Israel. Western governments, particularly the United States and France, are seeking further sanctions on Iran to stop its nuclear drive, which they suspect may be aimed at acquiring atomic weapons -- a charge Tehran denies. The Council of Arab Interior Ministers has already adopted five resolutions demanding that Iran suspend sensitive nuclear activities, mainly the enrichment of uranium. Tehran has ignored all of them.

'Only rumours' that Iran making nuclear weapons: Turkish PM
London (AFP) March 16, 2010 - Turkey's prime minister said Tuesday it was "only rumours" that Iran was making nuclear weapons, stressing the Islamic republic's right to develop civilian atomic power. Speaking before meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London, Recep Tayyip Erdogan also questioned why countries like Israel did not face calls from the international community to disarm, while Iran did. "It's only rumours that Iran is making nuclear weapons," Erdogan told the BBC, speaking through an interpreter. "I believe it is Iran's most natural right to employ nuclear energy for civilian purposes."

Turkey has good relations with its neighbour Iran and has offered to host an exchange of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) with 20 percent enriched uranium to be supplied by world powers to Tehran as part of a UN-drafted deal. The prime minister added that countries with nuclear weapons "are not in a position to turn to another country and to say: 'Oh, you are not supposed to produce nuclear weapons'." "Take Israel. Israel possess nuclear weapons. Why aren't other countries warning Israel to dispose of her nuclear weapons but they're doing the same to Iran?" he asked.

At a press conference with Brown at Downing Street later, Erdogan said he would like to see "a world without nuclear weapons" and advocated diplomacy over sanctions. "We always say to all of our friends we would not like to see any nuclear weapons in our region," he said. "We believe in the importance of a diplomatic solution." He added: "Sanctions have been imposed twice before and if it's considered to carry on with the sanctions a third time, we will see but what I would say is that what we need to do... is find diplomatic solution". Brown added: "Prime Minister Erdogan and I share a conviction that we must resolve this issue diplomatically and my belief is that the UN Security Council must take action to ensure sanctions against Iran."

by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) March 16, 2010
China said Tuesday it was growing more concerned over the Iran nuclear crisis but again resisted calls to back sanctions, insisting talks were the best way to resolve the impasse.

Visiting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who is seeking Beijing's support for tougher UN sanctions against Iran, voiced his increasing impatience with the Islamic republic.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi pledged after talks with Miliband that Beijing would work more closely with other world powers on Iran, which is suspected by the West of secretly trying to develop the atomic bomb.

"Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, I wish to point out that this issue is the subject of widespread attention in the international community. China has become more concerned about the current situation," Yang told reporters.

Miliband, who met later with Premier Wen Jiabao, had tough words for Tehran, noting an increasing "lack of confidence in the international community as to Iranian intentions".

He said Iran "can be treated as a normal country on nuclear matters when they behave as a normal country".

But Yang gave no sign that China would bend to mounting pressure to support a new round of sanctions on Tehran, which insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful energy needs.

"Ultimately, this issue has to be appropriately resolved through peaceful negotiations," Yang said.

Britain, alongside the United States and its allies, is pushing for the UN Security Council to impose tougher sanctions but China is the only veto-wielding permanent member not backing further punitive action.

China is a major ally of Iran and now its top trading partner as a key buyer of its energy resources. In the past, it maintained a similar stance on sanctions, only to eventually acquiesce to watered-down measures.

But Yang indicated China's willingness to work more deeply with world powers spearheading the drive to contain Iran's nuclear drive.

"We will have even closer contact with members of the P5+1 mechanism and other related parties," he said, referring to the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany.

"We will continue to make efforts to bring about a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," Yang said.

The two foreign ministers pledged to work together to strengthen diplomatic ties after the two nations clashed on human rights and global warming as well as their differences on Iran.

During Miliband's meeting with Wen, the Chinese premier said ties between the two countries were strong and called for an even deeper relationship, state television said in a brief report.

Miliband told reporters that during his talks with Yang he raised the case of Gao Zhisheng, a human rights lawyer whose whereabouts China refuses to divulge after he was taken away by police more than a year ago.

Gao had been on probation after being convicted of subversion in 2006.

Yang denied Gao had been tortured or had his rights violated, but provided no further information on him.

Relations between Beijing and London soured last year when Miliband's younger brother Ed, the British climate change secretary, accused China of "hijacking" a Copenhagen summit on global warming.

Britain was also furious at China's execution in December of a Briton on drug smuggling charges.

"I come here in the spirit of partnership as we face common challenges together," said Miliband.

Yang said relations were "developing in a positive direction", adding: "We are committed to working with Britain to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership."

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China takes over from West as Iran's main economic partner
Tehran (AFP) March 15, 2010
China has emerged as Iran's top economic partner, investing heavily in the energy sector and filling the gaps left by Western firms forced out by international sanctions. In 2009, China became Iran's premier trade partner, with bilateral trade worth 21.2 billion dollars against 14.4 billion dollars three years earlier. The figures confirm the exponential growth in commercial ties between ... read more

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