So, Russia and China blocked the UN statement Bush wanted on Iran [View All]

United Nations
21 March 2006

The five permanent United Nations Security Council members and Germany have failed to agree on a strategy for pressuring Iran to halt its controversial nuclear program. Approval of a hoped-for common position statement has been delayed to allow more time for diplomacy.

Russia and China at least temporary blocked a U.N. Security Council statement that would urge Iran to stop enriching uranium for possible use in nuclear weapons. The United States, along European allies Britain, France and Germany, had hoped the statement would be adopted Tuesday.

But those hopes were dashed when a Monday meeting of senior diplomats of the six nations outside U.N. headquarters failed to settle on common language. One diplomat, who requested anonymity, called the negotiations "difficult."

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns emerged from the talks expressing optimism that agreement would eventually be reached. But, in an apparent reference to the Chinese and Russian objections, he suggested that the four-and-a-half hour session had achieved little.

full report: http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-03-21-voa13.cfm