RUSSIA:Russia and China have voiced tentative support for a draft resolution imposing sanctions on Iran for its nuclear programme, saying that with a few tweaks it could be adopted by Christmas.
"It should not take too long," Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Monday evening. "Now our problems with the draft are small ones, not big ones."
The proposal, drafted by Britain, Germany and France, and backed by the US, would impose penalties on Iran for defying the UN Security Council's order to stop enriching uranium by August 31st. It would impose a travel ban and asset freeze on Iranian officials and institutions connected with the country's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. It also bans the importation of specific bomb-related materials and technology into Iran.
China and Russia objected to the travel ban and asset freeze, and sought to clarify the criteria for lifting the sanctions. Chinese ambassador Wang Guangya called the sanctions on individuals "a humiliation". But he said the differences could be bridged with "maybe a few small fixes". "We are closer," he said.
Russia and China have held up action against Iran for months since the flouted August deadline, arguing that the council should work to bring Iran back to the negotiating table and not isolate it by imposing sanctions. Russia also has objected to measures that might affect the construction and fuel supply for an $800 million light water reactor it is building at Bushehr in southwest Iran.
The uranium enrichment process can produce fuel for nuclear power plants or for nuclear weapons, and Iran insists it is only pursuing nuclear technology for power generation. The US and other countries believe the research will be applied to making bombs.
At Russia's request, the new version of the resolution allows the Bushehr project to continue and narrows the banned items to the most dangerous bomb-building technology and delivery systems, from a much broader list that included many dual-use goods.
For the US and western European sponsors, unanimous agreement on the resolution sends the strongest message to Iran, and they note that as soon as Iran suspends enrichment, they will suspend the sanctions. But the message is clear that for now, patience with Iran has run out. - ( LA Times-Washington Post service)