CHINA IS DISTURBED BY THE DEEPENING INTERNATIONAL STAND-OFF OVER IRAN'S NUCLEAR PLANS BUT STILL HOPES FOR A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION, A SENIOR CHINESE ENVOY TOLD IRANIAN OFFICIALS, THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID ON TUESDAY. CHINESE ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER CUI TIANKAI VISITED TEHRAN ON FRIDAY AFTER IRAN ANNOUNCED IT HAD ENRICHED URANIUM, DEFYING INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR IT TO HALT SUCH WORK. HE URGED HIS IRANIAN HOSTS AND OTHER COUNTRIES TO STEP BACK FROM CONFRONTATION, A SPOKESMAN FOR CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY TOLD A REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY. "CHINA EXPRESSED ITS DISQUIET ABOUT CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS," SPOKESMAN QIN GANG SAID. "WE HOPE ALL SIDES WILL MAINTAIN RESTRAINT AND FLEXIBILITY TO CREATE CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE TO AN APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION OF THE IRAN NUCLEAR ISSUE THROUGH DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS," QIN SAID, PARAPHRASING CUI'S MESSAGE, ACCORDING TO A REPORT OF REUTERS.
