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Ambassador Wang Gang-ya, who is president of the U.N. Security Council this month, briefed reporters on the15-member panel's work on Iran and answered questions about Beijing's stance versus Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.
Two sets of Council-imposed sanctions have already been levied because the Council fears Iran's nuclear research and uranium enrichment are more an attempt to build a nuclear arsenal than just a search, as avowed by Tehran, for nuclear energy.
The Security Council's latest Iran sanctions resolution was adopted in March, and the most recent report from the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency saying Iran did not comply with it or previous measures was only last month, so there is word going around U.N. World Headquarters in New York that another resolution is in the works.
"We would like to make sure that the international non-proliferation regime has to be maintained, and we have to insist that all the activities concerning the nuclear program have to be peaceful in nature," said Wang, making sure it was understood he was speaking Tuesday in his capacity as Beijing's top envoy rather than president of the panel. "I think this is the national position of China. We will work with others to make sure that this is being maintained."
Asked if the question shouldn't have stayed with the IAEA rather than being handed to the Council, he said, "We believe that the Iranian nuclear issue belongs more to the IAEA, because the IAEA is the watchdog of this organization following the nuclear issue."
But Wang also said Beijing thinks it is an appropriate matter for the Security Council.
He said six high-ranking officials -- political directors -- in the foreign ministries of the veto-wielding permanent five U.N. Security Council members of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States last year said the Iran dossier should go to the Council "in order to reinforce the role and action of the IAEA."
The envoy concluded it was appropriate that the Iran "issue is also partly with the Security Council" as well as on "the diplomatic track."
Elements in the sanctions resolution support diplomatic initiatives by the European Union and also by the IAEA, Wang said.
Since IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei and the European Union high representative for foreign affairs, Javier Solana, have talked with Iranian officials, "I do believe that now we have to put more emphasis on the diplomatic track," Wang said.
"My feeling is that more importance should be attached to the diplomatic track," the Beijing envoy said. "I am not sure if it's the right moment for the Security Council, especially if the Council is thinking of taking more tough measures in the sanctions area.
"It has been China's basic position and principle, whether it has been on the Iran issue or any other issue, that sanctions is not the right approach."
Discussions both ElBaradei and Solana have had recently and independently with Iran's top nuclear negotiator have apparently yielded no progress.
"It is the IAEA, and also the Europeans, because we feel that negotiation is the way out of this and so we do believe that we have to reinvigorate this IAEA discussion and also the EU three negotiations with the Iranians," Wang said, referring to Britain, France and Germany working in coordination with the "P6," the permanent five members plus Germany.
The Europeans feel particularly threatened by an Iranian nuclear arsenal because of their proximity to Tehran.
When asked, if it came to a vote, would China side with the majority and vote for sanctions, Wang replied: "We believe that the IAEA is the nuclear watchdog for the nuclear non-proliferation issues. So therefore we believe that IAEA has to play the main role as far as nuclear issues are concerned."
Wang referred to a P6 foreign ministers' meeting held in London in January last year at which the six decided the Security Council should play a role to reinforce the authority of the IAEA.
"I believe we should not forget our mandate," the Beijing envoy said. "The Security Council adopts resolutions. Whatever action the Security Council takes is not to replace the IAEA but to reinforce the role of the IAEA, so this remains my position. We cannot do things on behalf of IAEA."
