By Bill Varner

Source:

April 2, 2010

Talks on tougher sanctions for Iran will begin in New York without Chinese or Russian agreement on the menu of possible measures under consideration, U.S. and European diplomats said.

The officials said the move toward talks doesn’t signal Chinese or Russian acceptance of proposals to target Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, tighten the arms embargo on the country, sharpen authority to seize cargo suspected of carrying Iranian weapons, and bar offers of financial aid or credit to Iran.

The diplomats spoke yesterday on condition they weren’t identified because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, which also include Britain, France and Germany, and are intended to reach agreement on pressure that would steer Iran away from developing nuclear arms.

“China has indicated a willingness to be a full participant as we go through the specifics of what would be in a resolution,” State Department spokesman told reporters in Washington yesterday. China “now recognizes, as we do, that we’re now at a point where we have to consider very specific steps” of a possible sanctions regime, he said.

Talks stalled for months because China resisted the adoption of a fourth round of UN sanctions, saying more time was needed to negotiate an agreement with Iran.

President said today he would “keep on turning up the pressure” on Iran to prevent the country from developing the capacity to build nuclear weapons.

“The regime has become more isolated since I came into office,” Obama said in an interview with CBS’s “Early Show.”

Call With Hu

Obama urged Chinese counterpart to support international efforts to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons in a one-hour phone conversation that accentuated the U.S. push to impose fresh sanctions.

The phone call coincided with a visit to Beijing by , Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator. Jalili told journalists in Beijing today that China has accepted Iran’s position on the nuclear issue. Iran insists its uranium enrichment program is intended only for civilian energy projects and rejects UN demands that it restrain nuclear work.

‘Same Strategic Goal’

Though Chinese officials haven’t publicly confirmed their support for further penalties against Iran, Crowley said yesterday that China and the U.S. share “the same strategic goal here.”

The U.S. and its European allies are continuing to exchange ideas with China and Russia on elements of a possible draft resolution, according to a European envoy. Agreement on the general areas to be included remains to be reached, the envoy said, and no meeting in New York has been scheduled.

Russia is ready to take part in Security Council consultations on possible new sanctions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday on state television, reiterating Russia’s position that sanctions rarely work, though in some cases they become inevitable.

Any new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program should be “measured” and “proportional,” Nesterenko said.

, China’s ambassador to the UN, said “both sides are working” on a date for talks. Li said he didn’t know how long it will take to finish a text.

Negotiations to date have been conducted at a higher level between the capitals of the six nations, including U.S. Undersecretary of State .

Chinese Veto

Winning China’s approval for sanctions is crucial because the country wields veto power over UN measures with its permanent seat on the Security Council. China, with the fastest- growing major economy, is one of Iran’s biggest crude-oil customers.

When asked in Beijing whether China would take part in the negotiations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang would only say that representatives of the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany had a conference call March 31 to discuss Iran.

“China will continue to play a constructive role in the proper resolution of this issue,” Qin said. Qin also announced that China’s President will travel to Washington next week to attend a summit aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear materials.

The U.S. and its European allies, which have been trying to persuade Iran to scale back its nuclear program and embrace wider economic and political ties, offered at an October meeting in Geneva to enrich uranium Iran needs for a reactor that makes medical isotopes. The Iranian government has never formally replied to the proposal, which the U.S. has portrayed as a confidence-building measure.