Editorials

Workable diplomacy

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-11 07:55

Fresh sanctions adopted by the United Nations Security Council against Iran on Wednesday should actually be viewed as another chance for further diplomatic effort to break the nuclear impasse through peaceful solutions acceptable to all parties.

Compared to the previous UN resolutions imposed since 2006, the new one is broader and more intense and has created new categories of sanctions against the Islamic nation.

It prohibits Iran from investing in nuclear enrichment operations abroad and imposes binding restrictions on the country's conventional arms imports.

Related readings:  Iran accuses West, vows to pursue nuclear program  China: UN resolution on Iran not end to diplomacy  New UN Iran resolution leaves room for diplomacy

The current UN resolution reflects the concerns of the international community over Iran's purpose in developing its nuclear program. It aims to push Teheran to undertake active measures that will fulfill its obligations regarding non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

However, sanctions can never fundamentally solve the international standoff over the nuclear issue. The sanctions do not necessarily mean diplomatic effort will be a closed door. It should, instead, activate another round of diplomatic dialogue to bring Teheran back to the negotiating table.

China is always committed to a dual track approach in resolving the Iranian nuclear issue. While insisting that any UN resolution should contribute to the international non-proliferation regime, it has repeatedly stressed that the action be conducive to peace and stability in the Middle East and that it guarantees Iran's right for peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Iranian citizens should not bear the brunt of the sanctions and normal business exchanges with other nations should not get affected either.

All these principles have guided China's participation in the consultations on imposing sanctions against Iran. China hopes Iran would take concrete steps to convince the international community about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.

In this regard, it is worth mentioning that the issue of Israel's nuclear capabilities was brought up for the first time in 19 years at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors, which began in Vienna on Monday.

The highlighting of this issue could be yet another important step in the region's de-nuclearization process.

(China Daily 06/11/2010 page8)