Breakthrough? China Agrees In Principle to Iran Sanctions
EmailAfter months of reluctance to participate in sanctions against Iran for its nuclear weapons program, Chinese leaders are now agreeing in concept to sanctions, White House officials said today.
"This is a substantive and positive step forward," a national security official told ABC News.
The details of what the sanctions regime will consist of have not yet been negotiated, but White House officials said it was significant that Chinese President Hu Jintao has instructed the Chinese delegation to the United Nations to begin working with the US Ambassador to the UN, Dr. Susan Rice, on a set of sanctions.
China was the last of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to agree to sanctions. The other four — the US, UK, France, and Russia — have previously agreed upon sanctions. Sanctions can be vetoed by any of the five permanent members.
Jeff Bader, the National Security Staff senior director for Asian Affairs, told reporters in a conference call that during their meeting this afternoon, President Hu and President Obama "agreed to instruct their delegations to work with the P5-plus-1" — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany — "and U.N. Security Council representatives on a sanctions resolution. The resolution will make clear to Iran the costs of pursuing a nuclear program that violates Iran’s obligations and responsibilities."
Bader said "the discussion was as sign of international unity on Iran….The meeting today is another sign of international unity on this issue."
Bader said that the sanctions would be worked on in the coming "days and weeks."
-jpt
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Over/under on Chinese clarification of this breakthrough is 36 hours.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | April 12, 2010, 7:15 pm 7:15 pm
Over/under on Chinese clarification of this breakthrough is 36 hours.
Foghorn Leghorn | Apr 12, 2010 7:15:52 PM
Coincidentally, the over/under on Republicans dismissing this as meaningless – even if that insults China and risks American security interests – is about the same. How did Republicans protecting Bin Laden in the 90′s by attacking Clinton’s attempt to kill him as “Monica Missiles” work out anyway?
Posted by: jhw539 | April 12, 2010, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
Perhaps a deeper bow from Obama would bring better results from China.
Posted by: mick | April 12, 2010, 10:36 pm 10:36 pm
Let me guess.
Obama will form a panel to review which sanctions China might “think about” in the coming weeks.
Iran is going to get nukes on Obama’s watch because the so called sanctions that bite–won’t.
Posted by: kyle | April 12, 2010, 10:42 pm 10:42 pm
Let me guess.
Obama will form a panel to review which sanctions China might “think about” in the coming weeks.
Iran is going to get nukes on Obama’s watch because the so called sanctions that bite–won’t.
Posted by: kyle | Apr 12, 2010 10:42:47 PM
_____________________________
Maybe . . maybe not.
One thing we do know – North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon on the Republican Bush’s watch.
If you’re going to pick on Obama for something that hasn’t happened, you might want to look at what actually DID happen under Bush.
Posted by: tierra | April 12, 2010, 11:26 pm 11:26 pm
tierra,what was the yield on that North Korea test during the Bush administration?You keep claiming that that test was a successful nuclear test-it wasn’t.Of course,you claimed that Iraq had a secret nuclear program discovered by Obama,so your knowledge of nuclear weapons would appear to be rather thin.
Posted by: Nephron | April 12, 2010, 11:55 pm 11:55 pm
OK so Russia says yes to sanctions but they can’t bite and China agrees to them “in principle”. So how does this stop Iran from delaying and continuing to work feverishly on acquiring a nuclear weapon while we continue to shuffle papers? Hopefully they’ll come around quickly but in the meantime time’s a ticking away. Also if the sanctions don’t “bite” then will they really be effective?
Posted by: obieone40 | April 13, 2010, 12:16 am 12:16 am
Posted by: Nephron | Apr 12, 2010 11:55:03 PM
You do understand the concept of testing nuclear weapons don’t you Nephron? Like was done by North Korea on Bush’s watch? You test a nuclear weapons to see how well it works and if it needs improvement. Surely you follow that. North Korea tested its first nuclear weapons on Bush’s watch.
By the way, the secret nuclear facility was developed in Iran on Bush’s watch.
Seems to me the Republican right likes to avoid these two fact as they attack the current President.
Posted by: tierra | April 13, 2010, 2:51 am 2:51 am
Now we wait a bit a find out what the Chinese got return, like support for the Greater China Coprosperiety sphere (ie Dropping support for Tibet and Nationalist China…..)
Posted by: d1hawnh | April 13, 2010, 7:06 am 7:06 am
if this ends up being true, this is a major coup for Mr Obama…. we have been trying for nearly four years to get the Chinese to agree…with no success to date.
Posted by: indithinker | April 13, 2010, 7:07 am 7:07 am
Troubling. If Israel is permitted to maintain a nuclear arsenal, why should Iran be punished for its (alleged) pursuit of a nuclear arsenal? Especially when the evidence is so faulty.
Posted by: Mike Morales, Garland, Tx | April 13, 2010, 8:09 am 8:09 am
The Obama voters here think this is a major coup for Obama? Wake up!!! The whole objective is to prevent Iran from getting nukes and to stem the spread of jihad ideology. This PR move(and that’s all it basically is) does nothing meaningful to stop Iran from getting nukes(it’s largely going to be symbolic if it happens—but hey that’s what Obama is all about—image over substance and many Obama voters in their emotional reasoning seem to get duped by Obama time and time again). Further, this story has been run several times before and it’s never been true. Secondly, even if China “backs” new sanctions, they will be toothless and minor. The whole point of this is PR for Obama(to make it look like his foolish policy of doing nothing to stop Iran from getting nukes is accomplishing something—when in reality it isn’t). What has been especially shameful on the part of Obama also is his willingness to coddle dictators at the expense of the common people in countries where the dictators live(opponents of Chavez, Castro, and Ahmadinejad and other dictators can count on virtually zero support from Obama)
Posted by: ConstantXI | April 13, 2010, 8:10 am 8:10 am
Mike Morales…Because Israel has never said it wanted to destroy Iran. On a broader note, one quickly suspects that if China is now on board, that Iran has completed its program.
Posted by: wantingbalance | April 13, 2010, 8:21 am 8:21 am
ABC News? don’t think so; this is a big lie and you helped make it up. China has agreed to think about sanctions so long as it does not actually restrict any trade. This story isn’t journalism; it’s propaganda.
Posted by: Buffetking | April 13, 2010, 8:22 am 8:22 am
The Europeans already asked the US to “dumb down” the sanctions to get China and Russia on board. This is no break through. We have eased our original sanctions as China, Russia and believe it or not, Turkey were all against them. Once we find a recipe with “no teeth” China and Russia will be glad to participate. We are being worked over by them. We need sanctions with teeth and force China and Russia to commit or veto, not just the threat, make them do it.
Posted by: lfrichar | April 13, 2010, 8:24 am 8:24 am
As normal with ABC they are already behind in news. Yahoo has already reported that China is now backing off the idea of sanctions.
WASHINGTON (AFP) – China said Tuesday sanctions were not the answer to the Iranian atomic standoff, denting US President Barack Obama’s hopes of sealing a deal to punish Tehran as he hosted a summit on nuclear arms.
Obama was expected to urge world leaders to harden their resolve to lock down nuclear material on the second day of a 47-nation summit in Washington aimed at keeping atomic weapons out of terrorist hands.
Guess the world isn’t nearly as Awed by the Big O as the US liberals are.
Posted by: mikemcdon321 | April 13, 2010, 8:39 am 8:39 am
mikemcdon: Can you read? Your paraphrasing of the yahoo article is incorrect and has a bias slant. The article is and I quote
“In Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said: “China always believes that dialogue and negotiation are the best way out for the issue. Pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally solve it.”
But she added that China supports a “dual-track strategy,” combining diplomacy with the possibility of international sanctions against Iran.
Posted by: John | April 13, 2010, 9:12 am 9:12 am
OK,President Obama had his day in the sun.Where he appeared as a world leader on nuclear issues.Now,he needs to come on back home and the voters of this country.WE ARE SPEAKING LOUD AND CLEAR.NO MORE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS,WE WANT SANCTION ON CHINA,JAPAN AND S.KOREA FOR UNVALUING THEIR CURRENTCY,to create a fair playing field for America small businesses.Its time to do the unpopalar part of being leader of the free world.
Posted by: David | April 13, 2010, 9:13 am 9:13 am
As I read through some of these posts it becomes clear some of you really do want Obama to fail, even if it harms us as a nation. I had given you guys more credit than this. Unreal.
Posted by: secondlook | April 13, 2010, 9:35 am 9:35 am
Secondlook: It’s because they are more into their party than they are into being an American. Party first the country doesn’t matter. They think that their way of thinking is the only right way and everyone else is wrong, they want less government in our lives except when it comes to things like abortion, or anything else they don’t agree with. They fail to understand that this country was founded on everyone’s right to their own opinions and belief’s, and that the majority choses who is in charge, when their guy is in office they tell everyone to shut up and accept it, but when their guy isn’t in they make excuses. The days of people coming together and being an American above all are long gone.
Posted by: d90 | April 13, 2010, 10:13 am 10:13 am
Wowzers!! You mean we can make the world better by diplomacy and negotiations. And by being cool??
But it is so easier to call people names from my trailer park and to receive my weekly government checks:)))
Go Obama!! thank you for being more intelligent than 90% of Americans. And making this great country of ours…even greater and safer!!
Posted by: Michael Fischer | April 13, 2010, 10:14 am 10:14 am
I wonder what we could have gotten from China had Comrade Obama skipped the bowing and went straight to ring kissing.
Posted by: Ed | April 13, 2010, 10:27 am 10:27 am
I’ll believe it when they actually enforce sanctions. I would not trust China
to do anything that did not serve China!
Posted by: hkdakota | April 13, 2010, 10:30 am 10:30 am
You sure like to look down your nose at the little people hey M.F.
Posted by: hkdakota | April 13, 2010, 10:34 am 10:34 am
d90, you just described both parties, that’s why I,m an independent.
Posted by: hkdakota | April 13, 2010, 10:39 am 10:39 am
it doesnt matter if russia or china’s on board
after obama dissed isreal’s PM ..
they will take care of iran as they see fit..
and i dont blame them ..
they dont trust obama..
i wouldnt either..
Isreal..do what you need to do to protect yourself..
the rest of the world ..isnt going to do anything ..before its to late..
folks if mexico said they wanted to blow up america..do you think obama would ..use sanctions…
i dont either
Posted by: mike | April 13, 2010, 10:47 am 10:47 am
No. China wants talks and not sanctions….and even if sanctions are agreed to, it won’t impact Iran all that much.
The only thing that will truly get iran’s attention, is a total blockade….nothing in or out…including oil.
Fat chance of that happening.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | April 13, 2010, 11:00 am 11:00 am
Words are just words. Talk is just talk. Details are what matter. What sanctions; what will they actually do?
China can say whatever they want. Agreeing to work with someone can mean so many different things.
Let’s see some details with the signatures by all participating countries. THEN we can discuss facts instead of words.
I don’t trust China to do anything unless they get something out of it and it does not harm them.
Posted by: malcat | April 13, 2010, 11:27 am 11:27 am
I haven’t had the time myself, but has anyone checked the list of attending countries to see:
which ones have nuclear weapons or
even a program to develop them?
How many of them have ‘loose’ nuclear material lying around that needs securing?
In case some haven’t seen the list, here is what the WH released:
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced last week that nations participating in the summit would be Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Vietnam.
In addition, the United Nations, the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be represented, Gibbs said.
Posted by: malcat | April 13, 2010, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Over/under on Chinese clarification of this breakthrough is 36 hours.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Apr 12, 2010 7:15:52 PM
Less than 24 hours later…
On Tuesday, China reaffirmed its long-held skepticism about the need for sanctions against Iran.
“China always believes that dialogue and negotiation are the best way out for the issue. Pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally solve it,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | April 13, 2010, 11:47 am 11:47 am
Unreal. You people would crucify Obama yourselves even if he WAS the Messiah. He could cure cancer, end poverty, and win the war on terror and you’d still complain about it.
Posted by: genhrules | April 13, 2010, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
This story is misleading as usual from ABC. There are no santions in place or even agreed upon just merely more talking as Iran continues to progress their abilities to have nuclear power. Is Iran and North Korea attending these meetings? This meeting is nothing more than a show by obama who will come out again saying it was a historic event. Yes historic that Iran will be armed with nuclear weapons.
Posted by: John | April 13, 2010, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
It appears on the news, Obama has bowed to only a limit number of foreign dignitaries , such as Queen Elizabeth, King of Saudi Arabia and President Hu of China, who also serve as the supreme leader of CCP and the banker of Obama administration.
Posted by: austin | April 13, 2010, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
d90, you just described both parties, that’s why I,m an independent.Posted by: hkdakota …… I agree that d90 had a good description of both parties. Just like most bloggers, they will say anything to win an argument and votes – truth and honesty are not required.
Posted by: MikeMo1947 | April 13, 2010, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
Yes historic that Iran will be armed with nuclear weapons.
Posted by: John | Apr 13, 2010 12:30:46 PM
__________________________________________
Was it historic when North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon on Bush’s watch?
Was it historic when Iran developed a secret nuclear facility of Bush’s watch?
Why do you isolate and pick on Obama for something that hasn’t happened?
Posted by: tierra | April 13, 2010, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
It appears on the news, Obama has bowed to only a limit number of foreign dignitaries , such as Queen Elizabeth, King of Saudi Arabia and President Hu of China, who also serve as the supreme leader of CCP and the banker of Obama administration.
austin | Apr 13, 2010 1:00:05 PM
And he bowed to the Japanese emperor. What a scandal. And you’re off your rocker if you think Hu serves as “the banker of Obama administration”, lets look at DOCUMENTED REALITY:
In 2008, the final year of Bush’s term, China’s T-Bill holding increased $234 billion (from 492.6 to 727.4). In 2009, the first year of Obama’s terms, China’s T-Bill holding increased only $149.4 billion, almost a 40% DROP in the rate of buying T-bills. (Guess Obama hasn’t been willing to make the same deals and promises?)
By any rational, documented-fact based analysis, Hu was the Republican administration’s “banker”. The nationality of T-bill holders is public data released at the Treasury website.
Posted by: jhw539 | April 13, 2010, 1:22 pm 1:22 pm
The republicans are so out of touch. I guess it comes from following the failed leadership of Cheney / Bush for 8 years. Now that we have a President who acts instead of threats, the republicans don’t know how to deal with it without their bully pulpit. This is how a real President acts and reasons, and facilitates, and engages, and succeeds. I really don’t understand what is so hard to conceive.
Posted by: Chuck | April 13, 2010, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
David, why is it that the only people I ever hear talk about race are the lefty liberals? Seems you are the ones with the problem but you’re trying to project it on all those that oppose Obama and his policies. The race card looses alot of it power when pulled to many times.
Posted by: whatsgoingonhere? | April 13, 2010, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm
Here we go again, another “historic” moment. Does he have a quota to reach?
Posted by: nancy | April 13, 2010, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Just look at all the sulfur spewing rants and gnashing of teeth by the Right Wing Nuts. That’s the reason sane people are bailing out of the GOP. The nuts would sell our country down the river just to make Obama look bad. Sick group of haters.
Posted by: Joseph | April 13, 2010, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
Good,now that President Obama has stood in front of the World taking picture and looking the part of world leader.He can come back to America and place sanction on China.A article in USA Todat news paper states:China is willing to take short term loss,in order to grain market share in America,because they are in it for the long haul.When it comes to the economy President Obama has conflicting interest.On the one hand he want to give loans to America’s small businesses to grow them;but on the other hand,he doesn’t want to stop the flow of cheap goods into the country that our failed free trade policies is allowing in daily.China,Japan and Korea has made a living on dumping cheap cars,computers and steel into our markets.Its time we just say NO.And give American Businesses a fair ,level playing field.We dont have to be the dumping gounrd for the world’s goods.We can make our owns.
Posted by: david | April 13, 2010, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
They agree to the “concept to sanctions” is meaningless unless they persuade Iran to forgo nuclear weapons. Most likely the Chinese will agree to meaningless sanctions to give President Obama some cover.
Posted by: tillyerkt | April 13, 2010, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
John Said: “This meeting is nothing more than a show by obama who will come out again saying it was a historic event. Yes historic that Iran will be armed with nuclear weapons.”
=======================================
LMAO! No John, if you understand the term “historic”, it means something that has already occurred…
Like the fact that during the entire Bush administration Iran continued to thumb their nose at us and build its nuclear capacity, no matter how many times G.W. Bush called them part of the “Axes of Evil”… LOL!
And China, during that entire 8 years of Bush, wouldn’t even mention the word “sanctions” in conjunction with the word, “Iran”
… now, John, “THAT’S” historic!
Hehehehehe!
Posted by: GeorgieBushie | April 13, 2010, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
Joseph Said: “Just look at all the sulfur spewing rants and gnashing of teeth by the Right Wing Nuts.”
=====================================
LOL… yes, I’ve diagnosed them with having what come to be known as the “right-whiner” disease….. LOL.
Posted by: GeorgieBushie | April 13, 2010, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
What have they actually agreed to specifically? Sounds like all the jobs that have been created. This adminstration will do nothing, cannot do anything about Iran have nukes. They will have the bomb, they hold all the cards. This is just for the dummies in this country to digest,and for the media to help the dummies digest. For the best book on what Iran will do with the bomb read Third Party Candidate! It will make your skin crawl!
Posted by: Jay | April 13, 2010, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
@ Rick – You’re right. When they are cut off from the world, the people will rise up and bring change.
Posted by: Gerald | April 13, 2010, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
Iran, as it operates now, is the greatest threat to peace in the Middle-East. A sudden surge of sanctions may turn all of the Iranian people against the West, etc. A gradual strangulation, may avoid that, and allow the present regime to implode. Harsh sanctions, if eventually employed, must include EVERYONE, and sod the cost. Deals may be done, or not, but as lots of other posters have said, sanctions must be full and genuine, if that time comes, or otherwise they’ll be useless. Hopefully, an ever-tightening noose will work, but that doesn’t mean any country can pick and choose what sanctions to apply in the name of national interests. Trade with someone else, if necesssary.
Posted by: ThunorUK | April 14, 2010, 12:35 am 12:35 am
By any rational, documented-fact based analysis,
Posted by: jhw539
—
A rational fact based analysis would’ve mentioned that over $500 billion of T-Bills auctioned under obammma have been purchased “by others”. The Federal Reserve. They are buying back their own bonds because they haven’t been selling.
Posted by: smartlillena | April 15, 2010, 7:38 am 7:38 am