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路透印度加尔各答5月7日电---美国国务卿希拉里周一表示,由於可从沙特等他国获得充足的供应,她希望印度采取“更多”措施减少购买伊朗石油。REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
希拉里访问印度途中在加尔各答市(Kolkata)发表讲话时称,美方会在约两个月的时间内确定是否授予印度对伊朗制裁的豁免权。REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
她还表示,对伊朗和以色列爆发冲突的可能性感到担心。REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
印度公开反对西方国家制裁伊朗,但也推动国内炼油厂商削减15-20%的伊朗石油进口,希望借此能从美国获得制裁豁免权。REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
美国3月时曾授予日本和10个欧盟国家对伊朗制裁豁免权,印度和中国作为伊朗原油的最大购买国,仍被列入若不大幅削减石油进口将面临风险的名单之列。
(Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped up pressure on ally India on Monday to further reduce its Iranian oil imports, making clear Washington wanted to see further action before granting New Delhi a waiver from U.S. financial sanctions.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
Iran is the second-largest supplier of crude to the energy-hungry country. Publicly, India has rejected Western sanctions but privately it has pushed local refiners to start cutting imports of oil from Iran by 15-20 percent.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
The issue has become an irritant in ties between the two allies. India is unwilling to be seen to be bowing to U.S. pressure and is reluctant to become too reliant on Saudi Arabia for its oil needs, which officials say privately would be strategically unwise.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
Clinton said Washington wanted to tighten the noose of economic sanctions on Iran to force it to the negotiating table over its nuclear program, which the United States and other nations fear is a cover to build an atomic bomb.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
"So we think India, as a country that understands the importance of trying to use diplomacy to try to resolve these difficult threats, is certainly working toward lowering their purchase of Iranian oil," Clinton told a townhall-style meeting in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
"We commend the steps they have taken thus far. We hope they will do even more," said Clinton, who is due to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi later on Monday.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
She said Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other oil-producing nations were supplying more crude to the markets to offset any loss of supply from Iran.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
"If there were not the ability for India to go into the market and meet its needs we would understand that. But we believe there is adequate supply and there are ways for India to continue to meet their energy requirements," she said.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
Clinton said the United States would make a decision on whether to exempt India from the U.S. sanctions on Iran in "about two months from now".REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
The United States in March granted exemptions to Japan and 10 European Union nations from the sanctions after they cut Iranian crude imports.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
An Indian official privy to the Indian talks with Iran and the United States had earlier expressed hope that Clinton might announce a waiver during her three-day visit. The official said the government had done enough to secure the exemption.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
A senior U.S. official said on Sunday that Carlos Pascual, the U.S. special envoy who has been negotiating with Iranian oil importers to cut their imports, would visit India in mid-May to discuss the issue.REVRainbow Mandarin 彩虹汉语
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