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Germany hopeful China will back Iran sanctions

14 April 2010 03:45 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Germany was hopeful Tuesday China will support new sanctions on Iran over a disputed nuclear program as the United States reportedly pledged to help Beijing secure oil supplies if Tehran retaliated, APA reports quoting AFP.
"I see a positive development, even if it is moving slowly and we can’t say whether it will lead to sanctions," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters, adding "I’m very hopeful."
"China is now part of the process, even though we can’t say clearly what the outcome will be," she said on the sidelines of a landmark nuclear summit in Washington launched by US President Barack Obama.
Germany is among the six world powers leading negotiations with Iran to try to get Iranian leaders to rein in their suspect nuclear program, and Merkel again urged Tehran to meet its international commitments.
China has been the most reluctant of the group known as the P5+1 to impose a fourth set of UN sanctions on the Islamic republic, which is a key trading partner for Beijing.
Merkel’s statement came amid conflicting signals about China’s stance over imposing tough new sanctions against Iran, which the United States and its allies accuse of covertly working on a nuclear weapon.
Iran says it is pursuing only civilian power.
Chinese President Hu Jintao told the summit of 47 nations on nuclear security Tuesday that Beijing firmly opposed the spread of nuclear arms, while backing civilian atomic energy.
"We firmly oppose nuclear weapons proliferation and strongly support efforts to enhance international nuclear security," he said, as the summit agreed Tuesday to secure loose nuclear materials around the world within four years.
On Monday, a top White House official said Obama and Hu agreed during talks to jointly push for new nuclear sanctions on Iran.
"They are prepared to work with us," said Jeff Bader, Obama’s top official responsible for East Asia on the National Security Council, referring to China.
"The two presidents agreed the two delegations should work together on sanctions."
However China, a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, undercut hopes for a consensus when it said sanctions were not a solution.
"China always believes that dialogue and negotiation are the best way out for the issue. Pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally solve it," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters Tuesday.
Jiang said China backs a "dual-track strategy" consisting of continued dialogue with Tehran, but at the same time maintaining the possibility of sanctions if talks fail to halt sensitive nuclear work.
Amid the mixed signals, the New York Times reported Tuesday that Obama had vowed to help keep fuel flowing to China if Iran cuts off supplies in retaliation for joining a drive for the UN sanctions.
Obama assured Hu that he was "sensitive to China’s energy needs," the Times said, adding that the US administration had already sounded out other oil producers to help reassure Beijing that there would be no drop in supply.
White House advisor on Iran Dennis Ross travelled to Saudi Arabia last year to seek a pledge that it would step in to help China if needed, the paper said.
It also reported that the US president had laid out details of a proposed Security Council sanctions package to Hu -- the fourth that would be imposed on Iran over its suspect enrichment program.
The measures would include denying Iran access to international credit, choking off foreign investment in its energy sector and slapping restrictions on companies owned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, the paper said.
"Until two weeks ago the Chinese would not discuss a sanctions resolution at all," it quoted a senior White House official as saying.
World credibility is at stake in the push to impose tougher sanctions on Iran, said US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.
UN Security Council members had a "special responsibility," he said. "They have to make their own judgement, but we think at this point the credibility of the international community is at stake," he said.