Major parties concerned on Thursday remained divided on a draft
United Nations resolution to impose sanctions on Iran over nuclear
issues with Russia demanding the postponement of a vote to the
weekend.
"I do not think there is going to be a vote tomorrow
(Friday),"Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin
said, suggesting that a vote by the 15-member Security Council be
delayed to at least Saturday.
He said the parties concerned need more time for further
thinking and discussions of the draft resolution drawn up by
European countries, namely Britain, France and Germany.
The European sponsors had reportedly called for a vote on the
draft resolution on Friday morning.
Speaking to reporters in UN headquarters during a recess of
negotiations, the Russian envoy said there are still two or three
difficult issues needed to be resolved. But he did not elaborate
and only described them as "important."
In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US
side was seeking last minute bargaining over the text of the draft
resolution as to narrow down lingering differences.
Diplomatic sources close to the negotiations among the six
parties, including the United States, China, Russia, Britain,
France and Germany, said the European sponsors intended to stick to
their plan for a vote on Friday.
The draft under discussion demand Iran end all uranium
enrichment activities and cease research and development that can
make or deliver atomic bombs, according to agencies reports.
The proposed sanctions include a ban on trade with Iran in
materials and technology related to its nuclear and ballistic
missile programs.
The resolution is a reaction to Tehran's refusal to comply with
an Aug. 31 UN deadline to suspend uranium enrichment
activities.
Some western countries, the United States in particular, suspect
that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran has
repeatedly denied such accusations, saying that its nuclear program
is designed for pure civil purposes.
(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2006)
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