China's envoy to the UN has opposed further sanctions against Iran, and instead urged the international community to increase diplomatic efforts to resolve that country's nuclear issue.

 

China holds the UN Security Council rotational presidency for this month.

 

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chinese envoy Wang Guangya said: "It has been China's position to be cautious. We have always had reservations against sanctions."

 

Further sanctions on Iran would not be a helpful move, especially when officials of the UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Teheran's envoy are involved in talks.

 

An IAEA inspection team, lead by deputy director-general Olli Heinonen, will reach Teheran on July 11 to discuss the issue. The three-day visit is part of an agreement reached between IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Vienna at the end of June.

 

After the IAEA team's visit to Iran, Larijani is likely to hold another meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The two will meet again in mid-July but the exact date and venue are still not yet clear.

 

"We feel negotiations are the only way out of this. Also, it is my belief that other parties who have direct interest in finding a solution to the issue should in some way engage in direct talks with the Iranians," Wang said.

 

Crises and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East are scheduled to dominate the UN Security Council agenda this month, Wang said.

 

(China Daily July 5, 2007)