KHARTOUM, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese government's special representative for Darfur, Liu Guijin, Wednesday said had the so-called resignation event not taken place he would have not revealed his meeting last September with Hollywood director Steven Spielberg.

    "The so-called resignation announced by Mr. Spielberg is really a big surprise to me," Liu told a news conference held at the Chinese embassy in Khartoum at the end of a four-day visit in Sudan.

    Liu said he had told reporters several days ago in London that he met with Spielberg in New York last September. At that time, "Mr. Spielberg is no longer an artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics since he had not signed a contract before the deadline. That is what I learnt from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad," he explained.

    "But I told Mr. Spielberg that though you are no longer an artistic advisor for the Beijing Olympics, I am still ready to exchange views over issues in which you are interested," said the envoy, adding that he spent over one hour on the meeting and tell Spielberg what the Chinese side had done for the settlement of the Darfur issue.

    After listening to Liu's introduction, Spielberg expressed his gratitude, saying that he would do what he thought he should do for the success of the Beijing Olympics whether he was or not an artistic advisor, according to the envoy.

    Liu said he personally have no ill feeling towards Spielberg. "Instead, personally I respect him very much. I can understand the pressure he is facing," said Liu.

    Once again, Liu rejected attempts to link the Beijing Olympics to what has happened in Sudan's Darfur, warning that to politicize the Olympic Games will be very harmful in the long run as there would be abundant attempts in the future to link the Olympic Games to politics.

    "The friendly and cooperative relations between China and Sudanhad already come into being before February of 2003 when infighting flared up in Darfur," he said. "China is having normal relations with Sudan, just like China's relations with other African nations. So we firmly oppose any attempt to politicize Chinese-Sudanese relations."

    Liu arrived in the Sudanese capital early Sunday after visiting Britain. It is his fourth visit to this Africa's largest nation since his appointment last May.

    On Tuesday, Liu flew into South Darfur's capital city Nyala for a one-day visit to assess security and humanitarian situations there. It was his second visit to Darfur since his appointment.

    Following Sudan, Liu is scheduled to leave for Paris in the early hour on Thursday for a brief visit and then tour to another African nation Chad.

    Liu, a 62-year-old veteran diplomat and former Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe and South Africa, has been engaged in African affairs for more than 25 years.

    Since last May, he had paid three visits to Sudan and also shuttled between the United States, Britain, Egypt, Libya and other countries concerned, making unremitting efforts to resolve the Darfur issue.