China will send a lower-level representative to a meeting of six world
powers on Iran’s nuclear program, a State Department spokesman said
Thursday.
“We are aware that the representation will be below the level of
political director,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
“It will be a useful meeting to have regardless of the Chinese
representation.”
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Monday that the six
powers — veto-wielding UN Security Council members Britain, China,
France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany — would meet over
the weekend in New York to consider new sanctions against Tehran.
The United States and other western powers fear that Iran is
developing fissile material for nuclear weapons under the cover of a
uranium enrichment program the Islamic republic says is aimed at
providing civilian nuclear energy.
Washington and the three European members of the group have been
trying for months to persuade Russia and China to set aside their
reluctance to impose new sanctions.
Last week, China’s ambassador to the United Nations reiterated
Beijing’s position that it was premature to adopt sanctions against
Iran, insisting that diplomacy still had a role to play in getting
Tehran to the negotiating table.
“We’re gonna work on this issue with our partners,” said Crowle…
