Russia and China thwart West on Iran

aljazeera.net: Russia and China have opposed key provisions in a UN draft resolution that orders Iran to curb its nuclear programme.

Both nations object to the use of Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, used in dozens of Security Council resolutions for peacekeeping missions and other legally-binding actions.

Although Chapter 7 allows for sanctions and even war, a separate resolution is required to specify either step [db: Try telling that to Bush and Blair later].

Moscow and Beijing, which have veto power, fear that too much pressure on Iran would be self-defeating or precipitate an oil crisis. Both worry that the US would use a Chapter 7 resolution to justify military action.

Wang Guangya, the Chinese ambassador to the UN, said: "I think we have serious difficulty with Chapter 7 and the threat to international peace and security. These are the basic ones."

He was referring to a paragraph in the resolution's preamble that indicates that Iran's nuclear programme was a "threat to international peace and security".

Wang said both provisions should be removed, even though Chapter 7 is basic to France and Britain, which drafted the resolution, and the US, which backs it. Read more