ĦĦĦĦBEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held a
phone conversation on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on the
best way of resolving the question of arms inspections in Iraq, and they had an
in-depth exchange of views on the Iraq issue.
ĦĦĦĦIvanov stated the Russian stance on the situation, expressing the view that
the issue should be solved by political means on thebasis of the relevant United
Nations Security Council resolutions,and in line with the norms of international
law.
ĦĦĦĦThe Russian side hopes to maintain close contact with China on the issue,
he added.
ĦĦĦĦTang Jiaxuan elaborated the position of the Chinese government on the Iraq
issue, which he reaffirmed, should be resolved within the framework of the
United Nations. The top priority at present in solving the issue was to enable
UN weapon inspectors to return to work in Iraq at an early date, he added.
ĦĦĦĦThe U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and
Iraq would negotiate on the detailed arrangements forweapon inspections, he
said.
ĦĦĦĦHe urged Iraq to cooperate with the U.N. in an all-round way toreach an
agreement as soon as possible.
ĦĦĦĦHe also noted that all the actions taken by the U.N. Security Council
should be conducive to a political settlement.
ĦĦĦĦAs permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, China and Russia
shouldered a heavy responsibility to safeguard world peace and security, and
China was willing to continue to strengthen consultation and cooperation with
Russia to prompt the Iraq issue to develop in the direction of a political
settlement, he said.
ĦĦĦĦAlso on Monday, Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Guangya met in Beijing
with William Ehrman, the special envoy of the British foreign secretary.
ĦĦĦĦEhrman briefed Wang on Britain's views of the issue, saying that Britain
hoped to closely consult and coordinate with China.
ĦĦĦĦWang reiterated China's stance on the Iraq issue, stressing that Iraq
should comprehensively and strictly implement the relevant U.N. resolutions.
ĦĦĦĦThe Chinese side would continue to make joint efforts with other members of
the Security Council to push for a political resolution within the U.N.
framework.
ĦĦĦĦEarlier, U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman in Washington D.C.
briefed Zhou Wenzhong, a visiting Chinese assistant foreign minister, about the
next step his country would take on the Iraq issue. Enditem
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