The five veto-holding UN Security Council powers faced another struggle yesterday to come up with a text aimed at reining in Iraq's nuclear ambitions without threatening sanctions or other punitive measures.

Russia and China are resisting a proposal from the United States, Britain and France for a council statement that would express "serious concern" about Iran's nuclear programme and urge it to abide by resolutions from the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA.

France and Britain, in an informal meeting of all 15 council members on Tuesday, distributed "elements" for a statement that would call on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment efforts, which the West believes are a cover for bomb making.

The decision to involve the full council followed several days of inconclusive talks among the permanent five members. The permanent members met for the fifth time yesterday. The full council resumes discussions today and tomorrow, US Ambassador John Bolton said.

One point of contention is a provision requesting Mohamed ElBaradei, the IAEA director-general, to report back to the Security Council in a short period of time on Iranian compliance.

Britain had proposed a report in 14 days but that time frame was seen as a negotiating point and would probably be lengthened.

Russia and China, wary of involvement by the Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions, wants ElBaradei's report to go to the 35-nation IAEA board.

Yesterday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told a news conference in Teheran that Iran and Russia had reached an agreement on its nuclear issue, but he did not give any details.

Source: China Daily