The foreign ministers of the permanent member states of the UN Security Council along with Germany have met at one of New York’s top hotels. Making her international debut, the new British Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margaret Beckett, talked to US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice ahead of the meeting.

Beckett also met the UN Secretary General earlier in the day. The Russians and the Chinese are wary of a resolution that could spark military conflict, although China has said it will not use its veto. French Foreign Affairs Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy also had talks with Kofi Annan before the dinner was held. A letter written by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinijad has met with a cool reception from the US government. Officials say the missive, sent to President George W. Bush, does not address international concerns about Tehran’s nuclear programme. Iran has always maintained its work to enrich uranium is for domestic energy purposes and entirely within international law. But the project has stoked western fears that that Iranians are planning to produce nuclear weapons.

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