Tougher Iran sanctions not an option

• Source: Global Times
• [02:41 February 11 2010]
• Comments

A showdown is nearing over the Iran nuclear standoff, as the US continues building pressure within the UN Security Council to pass a resolution approving tougher sanctions on Iran.

China still holds that diplomacy should be used to solve the issue.

China is seemingly the lone opponent of further sanctions now that Russia has softened its previous stance and appears to be supporting sanctions, though that may not be its final position.

The West is playing up the economic interest China holds in Iran and trying to link the issue with other recent Sino- US conflicts in an attempt to press China into a choice of either siding with the West or being isolated.

The Western media unjustly portrays China as an obstacle to a UN resolution. China's long-held foreign policy is that negotiations are to be preferred over sanctions; the country's stance now is consistent with those principles. Zhang Yesui, Chinese ambassador to the UN, rightly stressed last month that it was not time yet for sanctions, as diplomatic efforts are ongoing.

Like many other developing countries, China has been the victim of sanctions by the world powers. Even today, China still faces Western embargos. Chinese have a natural resistance against employing sanctions.

This attitude is nothing new: China has resisted calls to quickly impose sanctions in international conflicts over the years. That is consistent with China's principles, and reflects a fundamental difference between China and the West in dealing with foreign affairs.

Though sanctions are allowed by the UN charter, a majority of developing countries hold that sanctions should be used only in a very limited way. China is committed to solving international conflicts through negotiations and talks.

The UN has issued three rounds of sanctions, but that has only further antagonized Iran.

The Persian Gulf country is escalating confrontation with the West by firing missiles and, in the latest development, claiming to enrich uranium. The entire Middle East faces an uncertain future.

The US stated it wishes to apply targeted sanctions to cripple the Revolutionary Guard financially, along with other institutions the West believes run Iran's nuclear program.

But it is difficult to define the targets. Past US-led sanctions have resulted in chaotic domestic situations in the targeted countries. The public in those countries has paid the biggest price, while the intended government targets have remained in power.

Hostility between the US and Iran is the reason progress in negotiations has stalled. China is not the obstacle. Tougher sanctions are a step back from US President Barack Obama's initial line of engaging with Iran.

The ongoing wars the US is waging in Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the limited result of military means.

There is still time for concerted diplomatic efforts to achieve an acceptable outcome to the impasse.