U.S. and Germany Promise to Press Iran on Uranium - New York Times

U.S. and Germany Promise to Press Iran on Uranium - New York Times

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 - President Bush and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, meeting for the first time since Mrs. Merkel took office last month, promised Friday to step up pressure on Iran at the Security Council to abandon nuclear activities that could be part of a weapons program.

But at a news conference at the White House, Mr. Bush declined to predict what sanctions might be imposed on Iran if the Security Council took up the issue in answer to a referral by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"I'm not going to prejudge what the United Nations Security Council should do," he said, seeking to avoid putting the United States in the position of demanding severe action while talks continue with other nations, notably Russia and China. "But I recognize that it's logical that a country which has rejected diplomatic entreaties be sent to the United Nations Security Council."

Q: If you don't like what the UN says, will you make another unilateral decision, negating your meeting with Chancellor Merkel?