Beijing snubs Geithner's appeals for cooperation on sanctions against Iran

Reuters ^ | 01/11/12

[TigerLikesRooster]

Beijing snubs Geithner's appeals for cooperation on sanctions against Iran

REUTERS

BEIJING - China gave no hint on Jan. 11 of giving ground to U.S. demands to curb Iran's oil revenues, rejecting Washington's sanctions on Tehran as overstepping even as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner lobbied for Beijing's support.

Geithner met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Jan. 11, before Wen's trip starting on Jan. 14 to top oil supplier Saudi Arabia, whose output could be important if China turns elsewhere for crude it would otherwise buy from Iran.

"On economic growth, on financial stability around the world, on non-proliferation, we have what we view as a very strong, cooperative relationship with your government and we are looking forward to building on that," Geithner told Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping earlier in the day.

Geithner is touring Asia to muster support for U.S. sanctions on oil revenues flowing to Tehran, which Western governments say wants to develop the means to make nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian uses, not weapons proliferation.

A U.S. official confirmed to Reuters that Geithner had raised Iran in his meetings in Beijing.

President Barack Obama authorised a law on New Year's Eve imposing fresh sanctions on financial institutions that deal with Iran's central bank, its main clearing house for oil payments. That will make it difficult to pay for Iranian oil.

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[yldstrk]

China and Iran sitting in a tree
K I S S I N G

[Venturer]

Where was the Hildabeast. Isn’t she supposed to deal with these matters?

[Cringing Negativism Network]

So how’s that “free trade” thing working so far, America?

[duckman]

IMO, This is why sanctions don’t work against Iran. China and Russia do not comply.