China says Iran sanctions talks in NY 'constructive'

China joined Russia and four other world powers on Thursday for what diplomats said were "constructive" but inconclusive talks on possible new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

"It's a very constructive negotiation," China's U.N. Ambassador Li Baodong told reporters after a nearly three-hour meeting with his counterparts from Russia, the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

He said the group planned to meet again next week. Details of the discussions were not immediately available, but diplomats familiar with talks said the delegations were far from agreement on a fourth round of U.N. sanctions on Iran.

After months of delay, China reluctantly agreed to join the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany -- a group often referred to as the "P5-plus-one" -- in New York to draft a sanctions resolution.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said earlier on Thursday Washington wants swift agreement on a draft resolution that can be sent to the full 15-nation Security Council for a vote.

"We are working to get this done swiftly, within a matter of weeks in the spring," Rice said, reiterating a desire by U.S. President Barack Obama for a tougher global stance against Iran's development of nuclear capabilities.

Li made clear China was committed to the group's two-track approach on Iran's nuclear program -- offers of economic and political incentives if Tehran suspends its nuclear enrichment program, and threats of sanctions if it refuses. He reiterated that Beijing is more interested in pursuing the first track.

"The dual-track approach is actually focused on diplomacy," he said.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin predicted the sanctions negotiations "will be difficult."