Thursday, December 14, 2000, updated at 19:29(GMT+8)
China
China Calls for Early Solution to Afghan Issue
China has been attentive to the development of the situation in Afghanistan and hopes to see an early solution to the Afghan issue.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remarks Thursday, December 14, in response to a question regarding Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Lu Shulin's recent visit to Afghanistan.
Zhang said the purpose of the ambassador's trip to Kabul, which started Sunday after months of planning, was to inspect the site of the Chinese embassy in Afghanistan.
She reiterated China's stand on the Afghan issue, saying that as a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council and a close neighbor of Afghanistan, China supports the UN in the political role it plays in solving the Afghan issue. Meanwhile, Zhang said China hopes to see resolutions made by the UN Security Council that will lead to an early solution to the Afghan issue and therefore promote peace in the region.