Jiang: Peaceful Solution to Mideast Issue Best Policy

Chinese President Meets Arafat

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Chinese President Jiang Zemin said Friday that China has always believed that a peaceful solution to the Mideast issue is the best policy.

Jiang made the remark in his meeting with Yasser Arafat, president of the State of Palestine and chairman of the Palestinian National Authority.

The Chinese government and Jiang himself has always been concerned with the development in Mideast, Jiang said.

He paid a visit to the region last year. "I can thus thoroughly understand the difficult situation of the Palestinian people and feel sympathy for their suffering and economic losses," he said.

He told Arafat that the Chinese people remain sincere friends of the Arab people, the Palestinian people in particular, and take a firm, consistent stance on the just cause of the Palestinian people for resuming their legal national rights.

"We appreciate the efforts made by the Palestinian people for adhering to peace," he said.

The Chinese people have always stood on the side of the Palestinian people and supported the efforts made by the international community for quelling conflict, he said.

China has supported, and will continue to support, the sending of international observers to the region of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Arafat extended gratitude for the support given by the Chinese leaders, government and people to the just cause of the Palestinian people.

He briefed Jiang on the random use of force by Israel and consequently the damage of the peace process in the region.

He also explained the efforts made by Palestine to halt the conflict.

Arafat praised China's steady support for the peace process in the region and its tireless efforts to calm the conflict made in the United Nations and other international organizations.

China's support has encouraged the Palestinian people and Palestine will continue to strive for peace, he said.

Arafat was here for a working visit as guest of Jiang.