Excerpt from BBC story, “Russia ‘rethinks’ Iran sanctions“.
But the Chinese foreign ministry has said that increasing pressure on Iran would not be effective.
“Sanctions and exerting pressure are not the way to solve problems,” said spokeswoman Jiang Yu.
She said sanctions “are not conducive for the current diplomatic efforts on the Iran nuclear issue”.
Russian President Medvedev may be considering a more pliant position on Iranian sanctions, but the Chinese are cautioning restraint. While this would likely not entail a Chinese veto on any sanctions agreeable to Moscow, it will strengthen Russia’s position in arguing for weaker constraints on the Iranian military-industrial-financial complex during upcoming Security Council debates on Iran’s nuclear intransigence.
The Chinese foreign ministry is being somewhat disingenuous in its assertion that trade sanctions are not an effective means of dealing with rogue nuclear programs. They have no experience in the matter. Had they flexed any sort of financial fortitude during the run-up to North Korea’s nuclear weaponisation, then we might not be dealing concurrently with those consequences as well — not to mention that Iranian nuclear development would probably be at least five years behind where it is right now.
Can sanctions dissuade a country from developing nuclear weapons?
Ask Libyan leader-for-life, Moammar Gadhafi. He received the same “care” package from the A.Q. Khan network as both Iran and North Korea — but he turned his bundle over to the IAEA because he knew that the US and Europe meant business.
China was in a perfect position to influence North Korea with respect to its nuclear objectives, but they let their non-proliferation responsibilities slide.
What a crying shame.
imahd.ca 
Gadhafi at CFR Event: Iran shouldn’t have nukes
NEW YORK — Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi said Thursday, in a rare appearance before a U.S. audience, that he evolved from a firebrand revolutionary into a seasoned ruler over four decades in power, contributing to his decision six years ago to dismantle his country’s weapons of mass destruction.
Gadhafi, one of the world’s most enigmatic leaders, struck an almost professorial tone, in contrast to his rambling, antics-filled speech to the U.N. General Assembly the day before. Clad in a black suit and a transparent black robe, he fielded questions for an hour Thursday at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prestigious think tank.
The Libyan leader’s first ever visit to the U.S. has drawn curiosity as well as condemnation and derision after Wednesday’s theatrical appearance at the General Assembly in which he denounced the U.N. Security Council a “terror council” — even though Libya is a member… (cont.)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jo_5CEsiWsUHESJjCYZBUmZKkDPgD9ATUD680