Russian Foreign Secretary Headed To China For Talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo) (epa) May 9, 2006 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to China on May 15 for talks on regional and international issues, in particular the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.

Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, discussed preparations for the visit during a meeting in New York on May 8, where they joined the foreign ministers of the other three permanent UN Security Council members, plus Germany, for talks on Iran.

Russia and China are resisting efforts by the other permanent Security Council members to forge a resolution compelling Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities, a process which could give Iran the capability to create nuclear weapons.

Iran insists its nuclear program is aimed only at producing energy.

(Interfax, ITAR-TASS)