No agreement on Iran nuclear talks

Officials of six countries met in Moscow Tuesday evening to discuss the Iran nuclear problem, but no resolution. They will resume the talks on Wednesday.
Participants of the meeting, representing Russia , the United States , France , the U.K. , Germany and China discussed the possibility of sanctions against Iran for its suspected nuclear weapons program.

Photo: No agreement on Iran nuclear talks

On March 29, the Security Council called on Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities and told the IAEA to report on Iran 's compliance within 30 days. The United States has been pushing for sanctions to be imposed on Iran .

Senior officials said US Undersecretary of State, Nick Burns, made the case in Moscow that the credibility of the United Nations was at stake, and that continued Iranian defiance of international demands would undermine the legitimacy of the world body.

The group in Moscow included the five permanent members of the Security Council the United States , Britain , France, Russia and China along with Germany , which has been involved in talks with Iran . Representatives held a three-hour dinner to discuss the Iran nuclear issue, said State Department spokesman Tom Casey.

While they all agreed Iran's actions this week were a negative development and that further discussion about UN action was needed, Casey said there was no agreement on the issue of sanctions.

An American diplomat says they have all agreed on the need for a swift response, but not on exactly what form it should take. Washington says it suspects that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons. However, Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Anya Ardayeva, an SABC correspondent, says talks on Iran are not likely to continue today. She says the countries will be discussing and preparing for the upcoming G8 summit in Petersburg , Russia in July this year. Ardayeva says the agenda of the meeting has not been confirmed, the sources say.

N.U.