Wednesday, November 9, 2011

No China comment on Iran nuclear report in likely sign await signals from Washington, Moscow - The Washington Post


BEIJING — China isn't publicly commenting yet on a U.N. assessment of Iran's nuclear programs in a likely sign that it will wait for Washington and Moscow to signal their intentions.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Wednesday that Beijing was studying the report and repeated calls for dialogue and cooperation.

The U.N. atomic agency said for the first time in the report issued Tuesday that Iran is suspected of conducting secret experiments whose sole purpose is the development of nuclear arms.

Tehran insists its nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes.

Along with Russia, China is Iran's most powerful friend, but has gone along with four previous rounds of sanctions aimed at persuading Tehran to cooperate with U.N. nuclear inspectors.

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