China to Continue Efforts for Early Settlement of Mideast IssueChina will continue its efforts for an early settlement of the Middle East issue, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo said Monday.While holding talks with his Syrian counterpart Muhammad Naji Otri, Wu said the Middle East issue has been lingering for more than half a century, thus becoming a regional hot spot which has lasted for the longest period of time since the end of World War II, adding that an early realization of peace and stability in the region is in the realistic and long-term interests of all countries there, and will benefit world peace and stability. "China has held that it is imperative to solve the Mideast issue by adhering to relevant UN resolutions and the land for peace principle set in the Madrid Peace Talks and implementing reached agreements and understanding," he said. China also appreciates Syria's strategic choice of solving Syria-Israel disputes through peace negotiations, Wu said. The Syrian deputy prime minister said that despite many challenges facing Syria, peace is still a strategic choice for it, he said, adding that Syria adheres to seeking comprehensive and equitable peace, and to retaking all the territories occupied by Israel, because these are Syria's principles, and the only way of achieving prosperity in the region. On bilateral relations, Wu said that Syria is one of the first Arab nations to establish diplomatic relations with China, and is also an influential country in the Middle East. China places great importance on developing ties with Syria, and values Syria's firm support for China on the issues of human rights and Taiwan. He said that economic and trade relations are an important part of bilateral relations as a whole, and China attaches great importance to promoting economic and trade cooperation with Syria. The Chinese government supports financially powerful enterprises of China in pursuing various forms of economic, trade and technological cooperation with Syria on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, he added. He also briefed the guests on the Fifth Plenary Session of the 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and China's plans to fully develop its western areas. Naji said that Syria pays close attention to developing friendship and cooperation with China, and admires China's achievements in its reform and opening-up as well as economic construction, adding that Syria is willing to further cooperate with China in industrial, agricultural, transportation, educational, scientific and technological areas. After the talks, the two countries signed a framework agreement on China's preferential loans to Syria. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |