Europeans push for vote on Iran resolution by weekend

Source: Xinhuanet | 12-21-2006 15:54

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain, France and Germany agreed on Wednesday to water down their draft resolution imposing sanctions on Iran for its unyielding nuclear program, trying to push for a vote on Friday.

The latest text, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua, urging nations to notify the sanction committee of the Security Council of the travel of Iranian officials on a list.

"All states shall notify the committee of the entry into or transit through their territories of the persons designated in the annex to this resolution," the resolution said.

Instead of preventing persons concerned with Iran nuclear program from traveling abroad, the new text just called upon states to exercise vigilance regarding the travel.

"The new text has a number of changes which go quite a long way to meet Russian concerns," German Ambassador Thomas Matussek told reporters after a closed meeting with his counterparts from the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

According to some UN diplomat, who said on condition of anonymity, Europeans offered the compromises in an effort to get Russian support, trying to vote by the end of this week.

Britain, France and Germany circulated two weeks ago to UN Security Council members a revised draft resolution which imposed sanctions on Iran for its refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment activities.

It urges Iran to suspend all enrichment activities as well as all heavy water related projects, and bars Iran from importing or exporting key materials and technology related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but leaves a slot for dual-use items.

However, some articles of the text were objected by Russia, who insisted that the travel ban as well as the financial sanctions are unnecessary.

Editor:Ji Xuewen