Tang, Powell Exchange Views on Indian-Pakistan Tension

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 04, 2002

Tang, Powell Exchange Views on Indian-Pakistan Tension

Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and US Secretary of State Colin Powell exchanged views on India-Pakistan tension and Sino-U.S. relations through phone Thursday morning. Powell stressed that US will strive to persuade the two sides to keep restraint. Tang said the Chinese side has been persuading India and Pakistan to take measures to avoid the further deterioration of the situation.

Tang, Powell on Indian-Pakistan Tension

US Supports Measures of Pakistani President: Powell

Powell gave an account of the viewpoints of the U.S. side on the current conflict between India and Pakistan, stressing that the United States hopes the tension between India and Pakistan will be eased and that it will strive to persuade the two sides to keep restraint so as to avoid the escalation of the conflict.

He said the United States supports the measures Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has taken in combating terrorism.

Although the current situation is still grave, progress is being made in easing the tension through political and diplomatic ways, he noted.

China Deeply Concerned About the Tension: Tang

Tang said China is deeply concerned about the tension between India and Pakistan.

If the situation goes out of control and leads to a large-scale armed conflict, not only both India and Pakistan will suffer, but also the peace process in Afghanistan will be adversely affected and the stability and development of South Asia and even the whole Asia will be endangered, he warned.

Tang said the Chinese side has been persuading India and Pakistan to take measures to avoid the further deterioration of the situation.

Sino-US Relations in 2001

US to Increase Cooperation with Chin: Powell

Talking about Sino-U.S. relations in 2001, Powell said despite the twists and turns in the first half of the year, bilateral ties regained the positive development momentum thanks to the efforts of the two sides, especially the successful meeting between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. President George W. Bush during the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Shanghai last October.

The U.S. side is looking forward to increasing dialogue and cooperation with the Chinese side in the new year so as to promote the further development of bilateral relations, he said.

China Willing to Further Advance Bilateral Relations: Tang

Tang said the Sino-U.S. relationship is improving and growing, and it is facing important opportunities.

China is willing to make join efforts with the U.S. side to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, strengthen exchange and cooperation, properly handle differences and further advance bilateral relations in the new year, Tang said.

China Supports Efforts to Improve India-Pakistan Ties

China welcomes and supports all the efforts conducive to improving India-Pakistan relations and easing regional intense situation, said Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue on December 5, 2000.

Zhang said that China has noted the Pakistani government's recent proposal that the Pakistani armed forces in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir exercise the utmost restraint, and Pakistan would like to hold meaningful dialogues with India on the Kashmir issue.

She said that the Chinese government has pursued a "consistent and clear-cut" stance on the Kashmir issue, adding that "We welcome and support all the efforts conducive to improving India-Pakistan relations and easing regional intense situation, which conforms to the fundamental interests and common aspiration of the peoples of both India and Pakistan and also benefits peace, stability and development in south Asia."

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