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China, Russia get copy of new Iran sanctions plan
Major Western heavyweights presented China and Russia with a newly framed proposal that further intensifies sanctions against Iran's nuclear scheme, well-informed UN diplomats revealed Thursday.
Four powers, the US, the UK, France and Germany, reached a consensus on the US-speared initiative on launching a new round of heightened penalties on Tehran, engineering the sanctions package after convening for negotiations.
The draft, devised on the basis of three prior sanction resolutions, specifically targets the Revolutionary Guard, Iran's key military and political force, and further swells the list of financial institutions or individuals involved in funding weapons proliferation and subjected to stringent punitive measures.
Tehran's engagement in enriching uranium stockpiles has prompted US authorities to accelerate the process of "developing a significant regime of sanctions that will indicate to them how isolated they are," US President Barack Obama stated only hours after Iran's announcement that it would develop uranium enrichment to a higher level.
US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates claimed during a February visit to Paris that the US and its allies' initiatives to prod Iran to negotiate "have been rejected," he said. "The only path that is left to us at this point is that pressure track."
The Western countries seek to garner collective backing of the five permanent veto-wielding UN Security Council members plus Germany termed as the "P5 plus 1," to push the new sanctions resolution to be adopted by the end of March, prior to the five-year review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in May.
Russia fine-tuned this week its previous opposition to mount pressure on Iran, claiming it was "ready" to implement "smart" sanctions, after inking trade deals with France.
China reiterated its stance on enhanced talks.
"China has always promoted dialogue and negotiation to resolve Iran's nuclear issue, which will contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East. This approach is beneficial to all parties," China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday at a regular press conference.
"It marks a crucial 'showdown moment,'" said Wang Jisi, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University.
"China is subjected to unprecedented intensified international pressure to side with the West. Russia's adjustment concerning Iran's nuclear issue virtually put China in a dilemma, as a sole veto renders China in subsequent isolation," Wang said.
"Given the recently frayed Sino-US relations, strained by a succession of spats, China's next move on the US-led new sanctions plan is said by Western analysts to be an indicator of future strategic orientation," said Sun Zhe, a researcher at the Institute of International Studies at Tsinghua University.
"Consequently, a compelled siding with either party will exert enormous losses to China," Sun said, adding that China should continue to promote dialogue.
Global Times - China, Russia get copy of new Iran sanctions plan
Major Western heavyweights presented China and Russia with a newly framed proposal that further intensifies sanctions against Iran's nuclear scheme, well-informed UN diplomats revealed Thursday.
Four powers, the US, the UK, France and Germany, reached a consensus on the US-speared initiative on launching a new round of heightened penalties on Tehran, engineering the sanctions package after convening for negotiations.
The draft, devised on the basis of three prior sanction resolutions, specifically targets the Revolutionary Guard, Iran's key military and political force, and further swells the list of financial institutions or individuals involved in funding weapons proliferation and subjected to stringent punitive measures.
Tehran's engagement in enriching uranium stockpiles has prompted US authorities to accelerate the process of "developing a significant regime of sanctions that will indicate to them how isolated they are," US President Barack Obama stated only hours after Iran's announcement that it would develop uranium enrichment to a higher level.
US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates claimed during a February visit to Paris that the US and its allies' initiatives to prod Iran to negotiate "have been rejected," he said. "The only path that is left to us at this point is that pressure track."
The Western countries seek to garner collective backing of the five permanent veto-wielding UN Security Council members plus Germany termed as the "P5 plus 1," to push the new sanctions resolution to be adopted by the end of March, prior to the five-year review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in May.
Russia fine-tuned this week its previous opposition to mount pressure on Iran, claiming it was "ready" to implement "smart" sanctions, after inking trade deals with France.
China reiterated its stance on enhanced talks.
"China has always promoted dialogue and negotiation to resolve Iran's nuclear issue, which will contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East. This approach is beneficial to all parties," China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday at a regular press conference.
"It marks a crucial 'showdown moment,'" said Wang Jisi, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University.
"China is subjected to unprecedented intensified international pressure to side with the West. Russia's adjustment concerning Iran's nuclear issue virtually put China in a dilemma, as a sole veto renders China in subsequent isolation," Wang said.
"Given the recently frayed Sino-US relations, strained by a succession of spats, China's next move on the US-led new sanctions plan is said by Western analysts to be an indicator of future strategic orientation," said Sun Zhe, a researcher at the Institute of International Studies at Tsinghua University.
"Consequently, a compelled siding with either party will exert enormous losses to China," Sun said, adding that China should continue to promote dialogue.
Global Times - China, Russia get copy of new Iran sanctions plan
