BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian diplomat and an Algerian scholar have recently condemned the July 5 riot in China's northwest Xinjiang region, and expressed the hope that stability would be restored and people resume their normal life soon.

    China's unification and stability are conducive to the world at large, Mohamad el-Saket, former Arab League (AL) ambassador to China, and Ismail el-Debsh, a professor of political science at Algiers University, said in separate interviews with Xinhua recently.

    There is no justification for the violence in Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and criminals involved should be punished strictly by law, said Saket, who served as the AL's ambassador to China from 1996 to 2003. 

    He said the Chinese government should take immediate measures to put down the violence, which had threatened people's safety and social stability.

    The violence in Xinjiang, located in China's western frontier and bordering a number of countries, could trigger more regional problems, said Saket, who is also a member of the Egypt-China Friendship Association.

    The Chinese government has always kept the door open for contacts between Xinjiang and Arab and Islamic nations, he said, adding that many countries had continuously increased their investments in and seen smooth trade exchanges with the region.

    Xinjiang is playing an irreplaceable role in trade exchanges between Arab nations and Central Asia, Saket said.

    The diplomat, who has paid a number of visits to Xinjiang, said it is a sheer nonsense that some Western media had claimed that China's development of its western region aimed to marginalize ethnic minority groups.

    Residents of various ethnic groups in Urumqi have worked and lived together for a long time and have forged a friendly and harmonious relationship, he said.     

    Saket said the Chinese government has been dedicated to Xinjiang's social, economic and cultural development.

    He refuted some Western media's distorted reports, which he said were intended to undermine China's stability and development.

    The world should help China develop since the country's unification and stability will benefit the whole world, said el-Debsh.

    El-Debsh said China, which has developed rapidly in recent years, is playing an active and important role in the world.

    China's stability and development are very important for world stability and development, he said.

Special Report: Urumqi Riot