Xinhua news agency, the official press agency of the People’s Republic of China, in an article Tuesday outlined Beijing’s stance on the talks between Iran and the major powers on a final deal to resolve the 12-year dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Following is an excerpt of the article:
Over the past year, the six major powers (Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States) have engaged with Iran in rounds of tough talks in a bid to strike a comprehensive agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program.
In November 2013, the six powers and Iran clinched an interim agreement in Geneva whereby Iran agreed to scale down its nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.
However, the deadline for a final deal has been extended twice this year, yet with no major breakthroughs.
Responsible Approach
As an important negotiating party, China has always had an objective, fair and responsible attitude toward the Iranian nuclear issue, and has played a constructive role in bringing suggestions to the talks.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a party to the Iranian nuclear talks, China has always maintained an objective, impartial and responsible position, actively promoted peaceful talks, and played a significant role in advancing the dialogue process.
China welcomed the agreement reached last month (to extend the talks to provide more time and space for working out a long-term settlement), hailing it as a significant first step in the process of diplomatic settlement of Iran’s nuclear issue.
The deal has once again proved that dialogue and negotiations are the only viable approach to properly resolve the issue in to serve the common interests of all parties.
China hopes that all parties will implement the agreement properly, maintain a good momentum of dialogue and negotiation, and make progress toward a comprehensive, long-term settlement of the issue.
As the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said, “What matters now is to properly implement the agreement” and it is imperative to lose no time in pushing ahead with the negotiations to reach a final agreement that provides a comprehensive and once-for-all solution.
Meeting Halfway
Significant differences and long-lost trust have suggested that in the future talks, negotiators have to cope with unprecedented international and domestic pressure and to exercise political wisdom to deliver a comprehensive nuclear deal.
The most hard-to-crack problems that divide the negotiators are how much nuclear capability Iran can keep, and the steps to lift West-imposed sanctions against Tehran.
The Western powers want Iran to massively cut its Uranium enrichment activities, but Iran insists that it must maintain its current level to provide fuel for reactors that generate electricity or are used for other peaceful purposes.
Given the differences and distrust among the negotiators, China hopes all parties can creatively seek a solution to difficult issues.
Though all parties have demonstrated the political will to reach a comprehensive agreement at an early date, China holds that they should exert more political will, courage and creativity to mull things over, move forward and meet each other halfway.
“China expects all parties to work closely, seek current opportunities, show creativity and seek a package of solutions that takes all parties’ concerns into consideration,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in October.
Accomplishments always come with a price. It is no doubt that when the negotiators meet again later this month, they have to weigh the price they are willing to pay for a final deal. If they are courageous enough to make key compromises, their efforts will be surely rewarded.
