As the Security Council debates further sanctions against Iran, China's senior UN envoy issued a call on Wednesday for the situation to be resolved peacefully and diplomatically.

A peaceful resolution would ensure "the authority and effectiveness of international non-proliferation efforts, improve regional stability and fulfill the common goals of the international community," Ambassador Tang Guoqiang told a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"It is now imperative that we start negotiations without delay," said Tang, throwing his support behind the "time out" proposal, put forward by IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei as relating to the suspension of Iranian uranium enrichment activities and the related lifting of UN Security Council sanctions.

Iran, which has consistently reiterated that its nuclear efforts are wholly peaceful, blithely ignored a February 21 UN Security Council deadline requiring it to suspend sensitive activities such as uranium enrichment and reprocessing.

At its board meeting this week, the IAEA board of governors is set to approve the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1737 which would see the agency reduce technical cooperation with Iran in certain technological fields.

This has led to complaints of unfair treatment from Iran, pointing out that the IAEA has uncovered no evidence of any activities connected to nuclear bomb-making.

Tang voiced China's hopes that all parties would show flexibility and encouraged the resumption of avenues of dialogue. China will focus on continuing its constructive role in helping bring the Iran nuclear issue to a close through diplomatic negotiations.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2007)