China firmly stands for political settlement of Iraqi issue
( 2002-11-09 11:33 ) (8 )

China said Friday the Chinese government firmly stands for the peaceful settlement of the Iraqi issue through political and diplomatic means and within the framework of the United Nations.

Zhang Yishan, the acting Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, made the statement at an open UN Security Council meeting after the 15-nation council unanimously adopted a resolution on Iraq.

The Chinese delegation voted in favor of the just-adopted Security Council resolution, he said, adding, "Our decision is based on the Chinese government's consistent and clear-cut position on the question of Iraq."

"China firmly stands for a peaceful solution to the question of Iraq through political and diplomatic means and within the framework of the United Nations," he said.

"China has all along urged Iraq to fully and strictly implement relevant Security Council resolutions and cooperate fully with the United Nations with a view to thoroughly accounting for and destroying weapons of mass destruction," he said.

"China has consistently held that in seeking a comprehensive settlement of the question of Iraq, the sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the legitimate concerns of Iraq should be respected and that the Security Council should, depending on Iraqi implementation of relevant resolutions,

consider suspending and eventually lifting the 12-year-long sanctions against Iraq," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chinese envoy voiced his support for the dialogue between UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Iraqi side to break the stalemate and welcome efforts made by the Arab League and other organizations for the peaceful resolution of the Iraqi issue.

China also welcomes the announcement by Iraq last September to unconditionally accept the return of UN inspectors and its subsequent talks with the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the practical arrangements concerning inspections, he said.

"We are in favor of strengthening effectiveness of the inspections," he said. "At the same time, we believe that the relevant provisions concerning inspections should be practical and feasible."

Zhang expressed his appreciation of the work by the UN inspectors and the international agency with regard to the inspections and voiced his hope that "they will be able to return to Iraq at an early date to conduct independent, fair, professional and effective inspections and report to the Security Council the result of their inspections in a truthful and timely

manner."

"This will enable the Security Council to draw objective, fair and realistic conclusions, and decide on the next steps in the light of the situation and the views of the various parties concerned," he said.