Russian: No agreement on Iran sanctions
AP/Washington Post / Edith M. Lederer
16-Jan-2010

NEW YORK -- Top diplomats from six key powers focused on possible new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program at a meeting Saturday, but reached no agreement, Russia's deputy foreign minister said.

The Russian official, Sergei Ryabkov said the six powers want to meet again with the Iranians to discuss their October proposal that Tehran exchange uranium for nuclear fuel.

The U.S. was pushing for new sanctions against Iran at Saturday's meeting at the European Union headquarters in New York. Officials from China, Britain, France and Germany also took part in the meeting.

Emerging from the 2 1/2-hour meeting, Ryabkov said: "It is inconclusive in a sense that we didn't make any decisions right away."

He said Russia remains committed to the dual track approach of the six powers - diplomatic and political engagement on the one hand and sanctions on the other.

"We have talked mostly today on the second track, but it doesn't mean that we should abandon the first one," Ryabkov said.

He added that Russia believes there is "still time for meaningful political engagement and efforts to find a solution."

The meeting was supposed to be of political directors - top diplomats in the countries' foreign ministries - but China was only represented by a lower-level diplomat from its U.N. mission, Kang Yong.

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