A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman January 18 gave the requirements for the candidate of the chairman of a new UN arms inspection body for Iraq.

Zhu Bangzao said at a regular press conference Tuesday afternoon that the new chairman for the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) should possess "necessary political judgment and considerable experience in the area of arms control."

The new chairman should be "capable of implementing democratic administration and strict disciplinary restrictions," according to the spokesman.

The new commission chief must report objectively and truthfully to the UN Security Council on relevant matters and make no unauthorized decisions on matters of significant importance, Zhu added.

The deadline has passed for choosing a chairman for the UNMOVIC, established in accordance with a December 17 UN resolution to replace the former USOM for dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Discussions are still going on between concerned parties to decide on the choice of the chairman, and no consensus has been reached, Zhu said.

China hopes that the Security Council would decide on the candidate for the position at an early date through the joint efforts of concerned parties, he said. (Xinhua)