BERLIN, March 30: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday called a newly adopted UN statement on Iran a first step and urged world powers to consider longer-term measures to thwart Tehran’s suspected nuclear arms ambitions.
Flying in for talks on Iran with Washington’s European allies as well as Russia and China, Ms Rice welcomed the UN Security Council presidential statement adopted on Wednesday as an important diplomatic marker.
But she acknowledged that the text, which calls on Iran to abandon sensitive uranium-enrichment activities yet does not threaten sanctions, was a compromise struck after weeks of haggling, notably with Russia.
“We’ve had tactical differences and this gives us the chance to stay together as we move forward,” Ms Rice said en route from Washington.
“When you are taking a first step, the unity of ... the Security Council is extremely important.”
If Washington wanted unity, Moscow wanted no mention of coercive force.
“We were willing to deal with the Russians on their concern and clearly they were willing to deal with us on our concern,” Ms Rice said.
She was meeting counterparts from the council’s other four permanent members — Russia, China, Britain and France — plus Germany, for what she called an opening debate on the next steps in the nuclear dispute.
“This is not to go and write another statement. We’ve finished that,” the chief US diplomat told reporters. “This is really to have an open discussion about how to move forward.”
Ms Rice denied the UN Security Council vote was aimed at paving the way for tough action against Iran.—AFP
