China hopes that the Iran nuclear issue would be settled through
diplomatic means, Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said in
Beijing Wednesday.
"Under the current situation, there is still room to seek an
appropriate settlement to the Iran nuclear issue through diplomatic
negotiation. More efforts are needed to maintain such an important
international consensus," Cao told reporters after a meeting of
defense ministers from members of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization.
Cao said Iran, as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty,
enjoys the right to peaceful use of nuclear power, and should also
perform relevant obligations and commitment.
He said China hopes Iran would respond positively to relevant
resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the
presidential statement adopted by the UN Security Council
recently.
The 15-member UN Security Council on March 28 approved a
non-binding presidential statement, asking Iran to suspend uranium
enrichment activities within 30 days.
Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the IAEA, is expected to submit a
report to the Security Council in upcoming days.
With the deadline looming, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
vowed to press ahead with the nuclear program.
He also warned that Tehran would "reconsider" its cooperation
with the IAEA, hinting that a possible withdrawal from the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, if western countries continued to prevent
Iran from obtaining peaceful nuclear technologies.
(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2006)
