FM Spokeswoman: China Deeply Concerned with Middle East Tension

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 03, 2002

FM Spokeswoman: China Deeply Concerned with Middle East Tension

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Tuesday that China is deeply concerned and worried about the rapidly deteriorating Middle East situation.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Tuesday that China is deeply concerned and worried about the rapidly deteriorating Middle East situation.

China opposes Israel's barbarous incursion

The Chinese government opposes and condemns Israel's barbarous incursion into Palestinian territories, she said.

Zhang said that the Chinese government has appealed to Israel to unconditionally implement the Resolution 1402 adopted by the United Nations Security Council and withdraw its troops from Palestine and ensure the safety of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

China has made contributions to easing the current tension

Meanwhile, Zhang said, China condemns the violence against at Israeli civilians and calls on both sides to end the eye-for-an-eye retaliation as soon as possible.

Zhang said China has made contributions to easing the current tension between Palestine and Israel.

Chinese Foreign Minister's telephone call

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan telephoned Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabir Al-Thani who isthe current chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference(OIC), and expressed China's stance on the Middle East issue, Zhang said.

During Tang's telephone call to Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, the Israeli side promised the international community it would ensure the safety of Arafat and would not destroy the Palestinian National Authority, Zhang said.

The Chinese side has maintained contact and consulted with the UN secretary-general and other permanent members of the UN Security Council, Zhang said.

China is willing to continue playing an active role, together with the international community, to ease the current tension in the Middle East.

Arafat Would in No Way Agree to Leave Palestinian Territories: Sharon

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Tuesday he would let Palestinian President Yasser Arafat leave his besieged headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah only on condition that he would not return to the Palestinian territories.

Sharon said he had received calls from world leaders expressing concern about Arafat's condition and said that he had told them they could send a helicopter to take the Palestinian leader away from Ramallah.

"First of all, I would have to first bring it to the cabinet -- it should be approved. Second, he could not take anyone with him because there are wanted (people) and murderers around him there," Sharon told reporters at a West Bank army base.

"And the third thing is it has got to be one-way ticket. He would not be able to return," he said.

Israel Radio Tuesday also quoted political sources as saying that the Israeli government is considering lifting the travel ban on Arafat provided that he does not come back. The report said that Sharon did not rule out the possibility of Arafat's expulsion when asked by European Union envoy Miguel Moratinos whether Israel would permit Arafat to leave Ramallah.

Palestinians said Arafat, who has sworn to "die a martyr" rather than give in to Israel, would in no way agree to leave the territories.

Backgrounder: Middle East Peace Process

Israel's latest move to retaliate against an increase of Palestinian suicide bombings has pushed the volatile Mideast situation to the brink of chaos.

The retaliation has had grave consequences on peace and stability in the region and has aroused serious concerns in the international community. >>Full Coverage

Questions?Comments? Click here

China Deeply Concerned About Middle East Situation

News Analysis: Tit-for-Tat Violence in Mideast Will Get Nowhere

>> Full Coverage