Chinese FM Spokesman on Iranian, DPRK, Taiwan Issues

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 20, 2003

Chinese FM Spokesman on Iranian, DPRK, Taiwan Issues

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday that China hopes the current board of governors meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can help clarify the rumors about the nuclear plans and activities in Iran.

Liu made the remarks at a regular news conference, saying China has noted the recent rumors about Iran's nuclear weapon, and reiterating China's consistent opposition to the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.

Liu said China always supports the additional protocol of the IAEA's safeguards system, and China hopes that other related countries should approve the protocol as soon as possible.

However, Liu stressed, China also holds that the preventive measures for the proliferation of nuclear weapons should not hamper the peaceful utilization of nuclear technology.

China is the first among the nuclear-weapon states to complete its domestic legal procedures necessary for the entry into force of the Protocol Additional to the Agreement Between China and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards in China.

China hopes DPRK nuclear issue talks to continue flexibly, pragmatically

China hopes the countries concerned to continue the process of the Beijing talks on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with a flexible and pragmatic attitude, said the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

When asked by reporters to comment on the DPRK unclear issue at the regular press conference, Liu Jianchao said China does not hope that the process of the Beijing talks would be hindered because of difference in form, and also does not hope that the goal of making the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free and maintaining peace and stability in the peninsula would be affected by difference in form.

Liu noted that the foreign ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) stated their stances on the DPRK nuclear issue during their meetings on Tuesday.

Japan and the ROK appreciated Beijing's hosting of the talks on the issue, and both nations held that the process of the talks would continue, he added.

At present, he went on, the international community has a common objective of realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintaining the peninsula's peace and stability.

The Beijing talks is a good start for the peaceful settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue through dialogue, Liu acknowledged.

Meanwhile, the spokesman said the international community generally hopes this process would go on and that the Chinese side has all along be in contact with the relevant countries.

China firmly opposes Taiwan's "foreign minister" US visit

China firmly opposes Taiwan's "foreign minister", Eugene Chien, visiting the United States, and has lodged a serious representation to the US side for permitting the trip.

Liu spoke regarding Chien's visit to attend the 22nd World Forum, and his possible meeting at the forum with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The forum will be held in Colorado under the sponsorship of the American Enterprise Institute.

Liu noted that official exchanges between Taiwan and the United States were in violation of the principles enshrined in the three Sino-US joint communiques and the commitment from the US side to abide by the "one China" commitment.

The official exchanges constituted interference in China's internal affairs, he added.

Liu urged the United States to keep its promises and commitments to China and halt any official exchanges with Taiwan, so as to avoid harming Sino-US relations and cooperation.

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