On 'Iran meeting'; US Official: "...The Chinese said they couldn't work it into their schedule, ...December 18 in Brussels..."

AFP/ here

"The six powers trying to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions will not meet by the end of the year because of China's schedule, but they might hold a teleconference call, US officials said Monday.

"It's been decided that because of a scheduling difficulty, it won't be possible this year," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters. Kelly said the United States was "ready to do it" but would not say which of the US negotiating partners -- Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- could not attend such a meeting.

However, a State Department official later told reporters on the condition of anonymity that China had the scheduling problem."The Chinese said they couldn't work it into their schedule, they couldn't come on December 18," according to the official.

The official said the meeting had been planned for Brussels.

But the official also said that the political directors of the six countries were now discussing plans for a teleconference call on Iran, probably by next week........

The administration has raised the specter of a fourth round of UN sanctions, which will require the full support of Britain, France and Germany as well as Russia and China...."