U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2008)

U.S. Department of State

Interview With Talal Al-Haj of Al Arabiya

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
New York
September 25, 2008

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QUESTION: One last question. Iran with the position of Russia not accepting a ministerial meeting during this session and –

SECRETARY RICE: We – first of all, we completely agreed it wasn't time for a ministerial meeting. We all have a lot to do. And the political directors have more work to do before a ministerial meeting. To look at next steps would be fruitful, so –

QUESTION: But they're not supporting another sanctions –

SECRETARY RICE: Well, we'll see. We'll see. Every time we get to this place, people say the Russians and the Chinese won't support another resolution, and then we get another resolution. And so we will work on what needs to be done. The Iranians clearly are not fulfilling their obligations either to the IAEA, nor are they taking up the generous offer that the six parties have put forward. And so we'll pursue the – of course, the negotiations track, but we'll also pursue the second track. And I might note that the United States and Europe continue to place pressure on the Iranians and on their economy through measures of our own that are collateral measures to those in the UN Security Council.

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