Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
PARIS, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- High-ranking diplomats from
six major countries met in Paris on Tuesday, trying to make an agreement on the
sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend sensitive nuclear work.
The five veto-holding members of
the United Nations Security Council,-- the United States, Britain, Russia, China
and France,--plus Germany, held the meeting in the French Foreign Ministry
around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
The aim is to secure agreement over what economic
sanctions to impose on Iran for ignoring a UN. deadline of Aug. 31 to stop
enriching uranium.
According to the draft UN Security Council resolution
put together by Britain, France and Germany, trade with Iran in goods related to
its nuclear and ballistic missile programs would be barred and restrictions on
finance and travel would also be imposed.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, who
said on Monday that the "six" were ready to "make an agreement," appeared to be
less optimistic on the moment of the meeting, AFP reported.
"I don't know whether we will have an agreement this
night," he said.
U.S. Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns also predicted
that there would be no major "breakthrough."
Several hours before the meeting, Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned that it would take any attempt to suspend its nuclear
enrichment program as an "act of hostility."

Related:
Talks on Iran will be
constructive
MOSCOW, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The talks on Iran between
the six-party political directors would be constructive, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.
"The results of our work and the efforts taken by
Russia proved that the political directors of six nations would meet for talks
on Iran on Tuesday. We hope that the conversation on a possible UN Security
Council draft resolution will be constructive," Lavrov was quoted by the
Itar-Tass news agency as saying just upon arrival from Egypt.
"We believe that the purpose of the document is not
to punish Iran," he added.
According to Lavrov, Russia, the United States, Britain, France,Germany and China who are negotiating Iran's issue will meet on Tuesday.