The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Shanghai

China edged nearer the centre of contention over Iran's nuclear ambitions on Wednesday, hosting talks of diplomatic powers on whether to offer stronger incentives to Iran to curb its atomic work.

The gathering of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- plus Germany and an EU representative marked a first such meeting for China, which has kept away from the spotlight in the dispute.

China, which has hosted six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program, wants to highlight its role seeking to end the impasse over Iran's efforts to enrich uranium, but also wants to avoid falling out with a key oil supplier. "With this balance of interests, it's difficult to imagine China being a place for breakthroughs," said Shen Dingli, an expert on nuclear politics at Fudan University in Shanghai.

"The equation of interests won't change and China isn't some magical place to solve problems. But it's important to show that China is part of the international mainstream on these issues."

Tehran insists it has the right to enrich uranium, which it says is for peaceful power. But the United States, Western European powers and their supporters fear Iran's enrichment could give it the means to make nuclear weapons.

The Security Council has passed three resolutions with sanctions pressing Iran to give international inspectors more information about nuclear work and to stop the enrichment.