WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Barack Obama stressed to Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday the need to act urgently against Iran’s nuclear programme, and Hu agreed that Beijing would help craft a UN resolution, a US official said.
Hu, holding talks with Obama on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Washington, made clear that he shared US concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, said Jeffrey Bader, Obama’s top China adviser.
The White House had hoped the one-on-one meeting would help determine whether China was serious about moving forward with the United States, Britain, France, Russia and Germany in forging a new round of UN sanctions on Iran.
“The resolution will make clear to Iran the cost of pursuing a nuclear programme that violates Iran’s obligations and responsibilities,” Bader told reporters after the meeting. “The Chinese are actively at the table in New York.”
Bader said the two presidents agreed that their delegations should work on a Security Council resolution on a new round of Iran sanctions “and that’s what we’re doing.”
Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the United States still expects a UN resolution by this spring.
Bader said Obama’s meeting with Hu “was a sign of international unity” on Iran. Western powers want to deter Iran from what they see as a drive to develop nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its programme has only peaceful, civilian purposes.
China, which holds veto power in the Security Council, had recently shown an increased willingness to pressure Iran while signaling it remained reluctant to take some of the toughest measures proposed by Washington and other Western powers.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Obama made no mention of his talks with Hu but said he expects the 47-nation summit to make progress toward locking down loose nuclear material.
“It’s impressive. I think it’s an indication of how deeply concerned everybody should be with the possibilities of nuclear traffic, and I think at the end of this we’re going to see some very specific, concrete actions that each nation is that will make the world a little bit safer,” Obama said.
