China warns against new Iran sanctions, says it's readying for 6-nation talks

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
China's UN envoy expressed caution Monday about new sanctions against Iran and said Beijing is ready for six-nation talks in early December to try to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Ambassador Wang Guangya also said US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad was wrong when he said last week that "there has been dragging of feet by the Chinese" on a new Iran resolution. "It is not fair for the United States to accuse China," Wang said in an interview. The United States "should not forget" that the International Atomic Energy Agency is the UN nuclear "watchdog," Wang said, and when the six nations decided on the two sanctions resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council "it's to reinforce the role of IAEA." Wang also disputed a report that talks between political directors of the five permanent Security Council members and Germany on the Iranian nuclear issue, planned for Monday, were postponed because China had refused to attend.