China Promotes Peaceful Solutions in Mideast

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, November 08, 2002

China Promotes Peaceful Solutions in Mideast

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan Thursday said that China will encourage those involved in the Iraq issue to consult one another and reach a consensus as soon as possible.

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Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan Thursday said that China will encourage those involved in the Iraq issue to consult one another and reach a consensus as soon as possible.

Kong had been asked at a regular briefing in Beijing about China's position on a new United States draft resolution on Iraq presented to the United Nations Security Council.

"On the whole, we believe that the new resolution has taken into consideration some of the concerns and worries of relevant countries,'' Kong said. "China will play a constructive role in promoting each side to consult one another on the draft resolution, to further take into consideration the concerns of various parties in order to reach consensus at an early date,'' he said.

The purpose of the consultations was to ensure the "smooth and early return of UN weapons inspectors in order to solve the Iraq question politically,'' he said.

China is ready to play a constructive role in the consultation process by taking advantage of its rotating chairmanship of the top UN decision-making body this month, Kong said.

In another development related to the Middle East, Chinese envoy Wang Shijie stressed on Wednesday that China hopes for a comprehensive, just and durable settlement to Middle East issues.

"The peaceful settlement of Middle East issues will be conducive to stability and peace in the region and the world at large,'' Wang told reporters upon his arrival at the Egyptian capital Cairo, the first stop of his maiden Middle East visit.

"China, as one of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, enjoys good relationships with countries in the region. Therefore, China has a responsibility and obligation to take part in and push ahead with the Middle East peace process,'' he told reporters after meeting with Arab League chief Amr Moussa. .

"China believes that, under the current circumstances, resorting to peace talks is the best way to solve Middle East issues,'' he said.

The Middle East region is in a crisis as the United States is threatening to launch military strikes against Iraq while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to escalate.

At the request of Arab countries, China named Wang as its Middle East envoy in September in an effort to help solve the Arab-Israeli conflict at an early date.

At Thursday's briefing in Beijing, Kong was asked whether a halt to train traffic in the border areas between China and Mongolia was related to the Dalai Lama's visit to Mongolia.

Kong confirmed that it was stopped for technical reasons and rejected the reports that China has closed the border.

Kong confirmed that some trains had been stopped but said it was because of technical reasons. He added that the technical problems had since been solved.

The spokesman said China remained strongly opposed to any visit by the Dalai Lama to other countries. He urged Mongolia not to grant the Dalai Lama a forum for his "separatist'' activities.

"He is not merely a religious figure. He has been involved in activities to split China. Therefore, China has always been against other countries in granting a forum to him for the separatist activities,'' Kong said.

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