Germany and the United States are determined to work together with the rest of the international community to achieve a diplomatic solution to the nuclear dispute with Iran. Speaking in Washington Wednesday evening, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President George W. Bush stated that they would work together to try to get a UN Security Council resolution.

Commenting after their meeting in the White House, Merkel noted that there had been "full agreement that Iran must not come into the possession of nuclear weapons". She said the two sides also agreed that a diplomatic solution must be found.

She feels there is a good chance this can be done. "We must demonstrate the determination of the international community by a show of unity," she observed, emphasizing the need to mobilize as many partners as possible to show Iran that its nuclear program is unacceptable.

Merkel advocated taking a diplomatic approach that moves one step at a time and avoids talking about other options two steps down the road. She indicated that the first thing that needs to be done is to get a UN Security Council resolution.

Germany, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom agreed Wednesday on a joint draft resolution which the United Kingdom and France then submitted in the Security Council. The draft resolution calls upon Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities.

Clear signal to Iran

Chancellor Merkel with Secretary of State Rice. President Bush urged that a clear message be sent to the Iranians that weapons-grade nuclear material in their hands is unacceptable. He said the fact that there is agreement on this in the international community can already be seen as a considerable diplomatic success.

"We need to make it clear to the Iranian government that they have to abide by international rules," Merkel stressed, adding that Europe will play a prominent role in this in the 'E3' framework and in close cooperation with the US government.

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