China Delays Visit by U.S. Arms Control Official

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China this week postponed a high-level Obama administration official's planned visit for talks on implementing international nuclear penalties against Iran and North Korea, the Washington Times reported (see GSN, Aug. 23).

U.S. State Department special adviser on nonproliferation and arms control Robert Einhorn was set to lead a team to Beijing to "discuss sanctions implementation with regard to both North Korea and Iran," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said (see GSN, July 30).

"The Chinese asked for a delay due to lack of availability of key interlocutors. We are working with them to reschedule," Crowley said.
The U.S. team would call on Chinese officials to execute a "conscientious implementation" of U.N. Security Council sanctions against the two countries, according to a State Department official.
China has not enforced all the penalties against either nation, U.S. officials said. The Asian county has continued to carry out petroleum and other trade with Iran, and Pyongyang enjoys close economic and military ties with Beijing (Bill Gertz, Washington Times, Sept. 15).

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