Beijing caught in the middle over US sanctions on Iran
bbc
20-Jan-2012 (one comment)


As the West increases its pressure on Iran, the latest effort being a concerted campaign to impose an oil embargo on Tehran, China finds itself in a tough dilemma.

As Tehran's largest trading partner and customer for its crude exports (about 20% of Iranian oil goes to China), China's co-operation is critical if the West's plan to force Iran to stop uranium enrichment is to succeed.

Yet it is far from clear that China will go along with such a plan.

When the US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner visited Beijing in early January to press Chinese leaders on Iran, his Chinese hosts politely said no.

But given the importance of ties with the West, particularly the US, China cannot completely ignore such pressure and continue business as usual in trading with Iran either.

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Darius Kadivar

Seems the Chinese are having Second thoughts after all ...

by Darius Kadivar on

The key to having a successful Sanctions policy towards Iran ( and Syria) is  to divide the Russians and the Chinese on this issue. China seems less reluctant on the sanctions than Russia which has a common frontier with IRan and hopes to develop the Gazo Duc project. China on the other hand depends largely on Saudi imports of Oil.

 

This can create a major rift between the  Chinese and Russians who may end up having completely opposite interests.

 

Can't wait to be able to say : "Gooreh Pedareh Putin !"

 

;0)