Foreign ministers of six major powers had reached no agreement on a draft
UN resolution to rein in Iran's controversial nuclear ambitions after two hours
of intensive discussions on Monday, said an official with the US State
Department.
According to the official, who declined to give his name, the ministers did
not spend much time discussing the draft resolution proposed by Britain and
France, but focused on exchanging views on the strategic approach to Iran's
nuclear issue in the future.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosted talks and a dinner for her
counterparts from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union
in a bid to find some common ground on their approach to Iran's nuclear issue.
The talks and dinners were held at Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York.
The six ministers spent two hours seated on couches in the presidential suite
of the hotel, far exceeding the 45 minutes originally planned. They were
accompanied by interpreters but no aides for the talks, said the official.
France and Britain, backed by the United States, on Wednesday proposed a new
draft resolution to the UN Security Council demanding Iran suspend all
enrichment activities immediately or face possible sanctions.
The draft invokes Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, under which the council can
resort to economic or diplomatic sanctions, or even military action, to ensure
its decisions are implemented.
Russia insists the draft resolution need adjustment. Chinese Ambassador Wang
Guangya reiterated that both the UN Security Council and the international
community should hold consultations seriously on Iran's nuclear issue to resolve
the crisis through better means.
