UNSC P5 still at odds on Iran
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, March 16, IRNA
Iran-Nuclear-UNSC
The five veto-wielding permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) are still at loggerheads over Iran's nuclear program.
The Perm-5, Britain, the United States, France, Russia, and China, holding their fifth round of negotiations in the US mission in New York Wednesday once again failed to present a united front on Iran as Russia and China have called for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff.
US news media Thursday termed the UNSC meetings as "fruitless".
The five members, however, hold an informal session later in the day.
The US state department spokesmen and President George W Bush for the first time told reporters that they have nothing new to say about Iran.
Iran is on the spotlight in the UNSC at a time political circles in the international body have openly talked about differences between the member states.
Senior US officials including Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, have called the talks "constructive sessions" and "successful negotiations" in a bid to cover up the row. But news agencies, even those of the US and its allies, confessed to a "fiasco" in the past 24 hours.
Bolton, in his recent remarks, said Washington, Paris, and London have a unified stance toward Iran.
Wire services and political circles argue that Bolton's statements officially confirmed discord in the UNSC and resistance of some member states to the United States' anti-Iran tactics and political ploy.
According to the Reuters, Russia and China have made it clear that they oppose sanctions and have indicated the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should keep the lead role in handling the case.
Political pundits believe tough language from US officials including Bolton and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the recent days have been effective in forcing opposition to Washington.
Rice, who looks to have perceived the message, Wednesday persistently asked Iran to return to the negotiating table.
The secretary, in a meet with her Australian counterpart Alexander Downer in Sydney, pretentiously underlined that the US Administration is seeking a solution to Iran's nuclear case -- even in the UN Security Council.
Thursday's reports show that the US adopting a new strategy is heaping pressure on the UNSC, threatening that it will make different policies if its demands are not met.
The "Wall Street Journal" wrote if the European troika, Britain, France, and Germany, failed to get the nod for their proposed anti-Iran document, they would likely try to approve a resolution.
To this end, the US has started negotiations on anti-Iran measures beyond the UN framework, said the daily adding the US and its European allies have vowed that all UN anti-Iran measures will be incremental and carried out gradually.
The question arises here, added the article, is whether the UNSC will do something or not.
Backed by Washington, Britain and France are pushing for a document, which is non-binding but requires the approval of all 15 Security Council members, said the paper.
The proposed document calls on Iran to accede to all IAEA demands and immediately halt any sensitive nuclear activities.
"No punitive measure" has been included in the draft, noted the daily adding European and US officials, who set a two-week deadline for the IAEA inspectors to report on Iran's compliance with the demands, have now extended the deadline.
However, the closed-door UNSC sessions due to opposition from Russia and China have failed, it noted.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, in his Wednesday's formal House of Commons address, admitted that there is no solid evidence that shows Iran is seeking nuclear weapons.
He made the statement while offering his report to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The UNSC resumes meeting Thursday afternoon and holds its first formal session Friday.
Iran was reported by the IAEA a week ago.
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