Bush won't prejudge UN action on Iran

WASHINGTON - US President George W. Bush said today he was not going to prejudge what the United Nations Security Council would do if Iran is brought before the 15-member Council over its nuclear programme.

"I'm not going to prejudge what the United Nations Security Council should do," Bush said, asked if he expected sanctions to be imposed on Iran.

"But I recognise that it's logical that a country which has rejected diplomatic entreaties be sent to the United Nations Security Council." Bush, speaking to reporters after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, also said the United States is seeking to resolve the crisis over Iran by diplomatic means.

"We've got an important job ahead of us to work on key issues like Iran. We spent some time talking about the Iranian issue and the desire to solve this issue diplomatically by working together," he said.

Merkel also said the Europeans and the United States should work together on Iran and that they would not be intimidated by a country that had made "totally unacceptable" comments such as questioning the right of Israel to exist.

"It's essential we feel that the EU-3 together with the United States take a common position here, become active, that we try to persuade as many other countries as possible ... to ally themselves with us, and we will certainly not be intimidated by a country such as Iran," Merkel said.

- REUTERS