Russia and China warn against war with Iran
By David Blair, Diplomatic Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:02am BST 19/09/2007
Russia and China have criticised France's foreign minister Bernard Kouchner for talking of "war" with Teheran.
After meeting his French counterpart in Moscow, Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, gave warning of the possible consequences of any military strike designed to disable Iran's nuclear programme.
"We are convinced that no modern problem has a military solution, and that applies to the Iranian nuclear programme as well," said Mr Lavrov.
"We are seriously concerned about increasingly frequent reports that military action against Iran is being seriously considered."
Mr Lavrov added that Russia supported the recent agreement reached between Iran and nuclear inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Earlier, China's foreign ministry also criticised Mr Kouchner for raising the possibility of war.
"We believe the best option is to peacefully resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomatic negotiations, which is in the common interests of the international community," said Jiang Yu, an official spokesman.
"We do not approve of easily resorting to threatening use of force in international affairs."
America is now pressing for another UN Resolution which would tighten economic sanctions on Iran.
The trigger for this move was Teheran's continued enrichment of uranium, a process which could give Iran the essential material for a nuclear bomb.
While Russia and China have already supported two earlier sanctions resolutions, both are signaling that their support for a third cannot be taken for granted.
America is aiming to put a draft Resolution before the Security Council later this month.
President Nicolas Sarkozy has toughened France's approach towards Teheran and the rhetoric from Paris is now almost as hawkish as anything emerging from Washington.
Yesterday, Mr Kouchner called for tougher 'precise' sanctions against the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.
However, the French foreign minister also said that "everything should be done to avoid war."
"War is the worst that could happen," he said. "Everything should be done to avoid war. We have to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate - without cease, without rebuff."
The five permanent members of the Security Council are now divided between America, Britain and France, who all back tougher sanctions on Iran, and Russia and China, who are openly sceptical.
If another sanctions resolution is passed, it may be a relatively weak measure imposing penalties on specific Iranian companies linked to the nuclear programme - not the economy as a whole.
America has imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.
Urged on by Britain and France, the European Union may well do the same. At present, EU countries support trade with Iran with some £9 billion of export credits.
These are likely to be restricted and European investment in Iran curtailed.
Russia and China warn against war with Iran
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