¡¡¡¡BEIRUT, Nov. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting Chinese Mideast envoy Wang Shijie here Friday called for an earlier settlement of Mideast problem, stressing that a peace in the Mideast benefits for both the region and the world.

¡¡¡¡Wang held talks with Lebanese Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud shortly after his arrival on Friday afternoon.

¡¡¡¡Wang told reporters after the meeting that he delivered a letterto Hammoud from his Chinese counterpart Tang Jiaxuan.

¡¡¡¡"China insists that the legitimate right of Arab states, of course including Lebanon, be guaranteed while Israel's security andexistance should be respected," Wang said.

¡¡¡¡"We see that the settlement of the Mideast issue can only be realized through negotiations on the basis of UN resolutions and the 'land-for-peace' principle," the envoy added.

¡¡¡¡He stressed that force helps nobody and the violence will only intensify the hatred.

¡¡¡¡China named Wang as its Mideast envoy in September at the request of Arab countries in order to promote a settlement of the Middle East issue and an earlier end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

¡¡¡¡He has visited Egypt and will leave here on Saturday to continuehis trip, which will also take him to Syria, Jordan, Israel and thePalestinian territories. Enditem

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