REMARKS BY THE SPOKESPERSON

CHINA FOREIGN MINISTRY

September 3, 2002

Excerpts

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Q: The Bush Administration is currently considering striking Iraq.  What is China's position on this?

A: Recently, Iraqi Foreign Minister Sabri visited China.  Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan had separate meetings and talks with him.  When meeting with him, Vice Premier Qian Qichen stressed that currently the Iraqi issue has the tendency of escalation and China is very concerned and worried about it.  China always holds that the Iraqi issue should be solved through political and diplomatic channels within the framework of the United Nations, and is not in favor of use or threat of force.  At the same time, we hope that Iraq will strictly implement the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council in full and continue to maintain cooperation with the UN to avoid new complexity of the issue.  As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will continue to make unremitting efforts for an early and reasonable settlement of the Iraqi issue.

Q: If the US decides to attack Iraq through UN authorization, will China use veto power in the Security Council to prevent the US proposal from being adopted?

A: This question is your presumption, and I want to repeat the stance of the Chinese side on the Iraqi issue.  We believe that the core of this issue is the comprehensive and effective implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.   On the one hand, Iraq should restore cooperation with the UN to allow the UN weapons inspectors back to Iraq, and on the other hand, we also hold that the concern of Iraq regarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and security should be earnestly respected.  All parties should make efforts to push for the political and diplomatic settlement of the issue within the UN framework.

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