China has expressed its concern over the current status of
Iran's nuclear issue and has called for all relevant parties
to exert greater diplomatic effort and exercise restraint to
avoid any escalation of the situation.
State Councilor Tang
Jiaxuan said that all parties concerned should step up
diplomatic efforts to create favorable conditions for the
resumption of talks before the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) holds a special session of its board of governors in
February.
Tang made these remarks when meeting with visiting Iranian chief
nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of
the Chinese government in Beijing, on Thursday afternoon.
The IAEA is to convene an emergency session of its board of
governors next week, during which the United States and the
European Union are likely to push for a vote on referring the issue
to the UN Security Council. The meeting is being held at the EU's
request earlier this month after Iran resumed uranium enrichment
research following a two-and-half year suspension.
Iran has repeatedly voiced opposition to a referral of the issue
and expressed willingness to resolve the issue within the framework
of the IAEA.
During his meeting with State Councilor Tang, Larijani said Iran
is willing to make further efforts to resolve the nuclear issue
through dialogue and talks.
Larijani, also secretary of the Iranian Supreme National
Security Council, arrived in Beijing on Thursday morning from
Moscow for a day's visit.
(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2006)