January 14, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 13, 1426

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 13: Beijing fears that referring Tehran’s nuclear program to the UN Security Council ‘might complicate the issue’ and could harden the positions of some parties, China’s UN ambassador said on Friday.

“Our concern is that to refer it to the council might complicate the issue,” Ambassador Wang Guangya told reporters at UN headquarters. “I think this might make the positions of some parties more tough on this issue,” he added.

He noted as an example Iran’s threat to halt snap UN inspections of its nuclear facilities if the matter is taken to the Security Council.

China’s stand on a council referral is crucial because it is one of the council’s five veto-wielding permanent members, along with the United States, France, Britain and Russia, and could therefore block any action it chose to.

In Washington, a senior State department official said China appeared willing to go along with a council consensus despite any misgivings it might have about a referral.

“In our preliminary discussions, it seems they do not want to be seen as the only ones blocking a referral,” said the official, who has been briefed on US-China conversations.—Reuters