By Country / Iran
World Powers Fail To Reach Agreement On Iran
May 09, 2006
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (center) with unidentified State Department officials at the United Nations today (epa)
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosted her counterparts from Russia, China, France, Great Britain, Germany, and the European Union for several hours of talks late on May 8 in New York.
Diplomats say the meeting failed to overcome objections from Russia and China to a proposed UN Security Council draft resolution that would authorize possible sanctions or military action against Iran if Tehran does not comply with demands to halt uranium enrichment.
After the talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing urged Iran to cooperate with the UN's nuclear watchdog and said the dispute should be defused through negotiations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged that conditions be created that would enable further talks.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, subsequently praised Russia and China for their stance, which he described as realistic.
The meeting was held after the United States confirmed receiving a letter from Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to President George W. Bush. Rice said the letter offers no concrete proposals to address international concerns over Iran's nuclear program.
(Reuters, AFP, AP)