US admits 'tactical differences' with Russia, China on Iran

US admits 'tactical differences' with Russia, China on Iran

	Published : Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:56 By : Agencies Print this Story

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The United States has 'tactical differences' with Russia and China on adopting new UN sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear program, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

But Rice, speaking after fresh talks with them, said the major powers still agreed on a carrot-and-stick strategy with Tehran despite new US intelligence showing Iran had stopped an alleged atomic arms program in 2003.

'Well, we have had affirmations from everyone that the two-track strategy remains in place,' Rice told the daily when asked if the National Intelligence Estimate, published December 3, undercut the US drive for sanctions.

'We have some tactical differences with Russia, in particular, and to a certain extent, China, about timing, about the nature of any further sanctions,' Rice was quoted as saying.

'But I do believe that people understand that we need to continue moving forward,' she added.

The United States has been involved in talks with Russia, China, Britain and France -- the five permanent UN Security Council members that all have veto power -- and Germany.

The strategy aims at offering Iran a dialogue that could give it economic benefits if it stops enriching uranium, or at threatening a third round of punitive sanctions.

The political directors of the US State Department and foreign ministries of the five other countries held a 90-minute conference call on Tuesday about Iran's nuclear program, but did not finalize a draft sanctions resolution.

'There will need to be another' conference call, Rice said.

Her spokesman Sean McCormack told a news briefing at the State Department on Wednesday that the new conference call could be held 'as early as early next week.'

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