PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE SPOKESPERSON

CHINA FOREIGN MINISTRY

September 26, 2002

Excerpts

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Q: What is China’s response toward the British report on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction?

A: After we received the briefing from the British side, we have been studying the relevant British report.  We believe that the imperative for the Iraqi issue is to readmit UN weapons inspectors to Iraq as soon as possible and have on-site investigation to ascertain the truth.  The Chinese side is willing to work with the international community and continue to strive for the political solution of the Iraqi issue within the UN framework.  

Q: The US Government announced that it would send an envoy to North Korea.  Does China view it a positive step?

A: Recently, the Korean Peninsular has shown a tendency toward relaxation.  DPRK has improved its relations with the US, Japan and Russia to various degrees and we welcome this development.  Today the US has announced that it will send officials to North Korea to have contact and we regard it as a positive step.  We hope that the relevant countries will improve their relations with DPRK and enhance mutual trust through dialogue to maintain the tendency of relaxation on the Peninsular.  

Q: Russian Foreign Minister recently described the Iraqi report by British Prime Minister as an “advertisement”.  Does China hold the same view?  Secondly, although the UN adopted a new resolution on the escalation of Middle East situation, Israel still stuck to its own way and destroyed houses of Palestinians yesterday, which aggravated the situation in the region.  How does China comment on this?  

A: I have just expressed the position of the Chinese side on your first question.  This report is quite a long one.  The English version has more than 50 pages and the Chinese version will be even longer.  We are carefully studying it after we were informed by the British side on this.  As I have just stressed, the imperative for the Iraqi issue is to readmit UN weapons inspectors to Iraq as soon as possible and have on-site investigation.  It is reported that Executive Chairman of the UNMOVIC Dr. Hans Blix will have contact with Iraqi officials in Vienna next week, which is a positive step.  The Chinese side holds that the Iraqi issue should be solved within the UN framework.  

It is true that the Middle East situation is still strained.  At the last press conference, I expressed the concern and worry of the Chinese Government.  We strongly condemn the large-scale military action by Israel in the Palestine-controlled territory, especially laying besiege on President Arafat’s official residence.  Recently the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1435, which reflects the call of the international community.  We call upon Israel to heed the call of the international community, halt its military action against Palestine and its besiege on President Arafat as soon as possible and ensure his personal safety and due dignity to create necessary conditions for the resumption of peace talks.

Q: It is reported from Washington that if the US fails to obtain support from the UN on the Iraqi issue, the US will act unilaterally.  Yet the Chinese Government reiterated that the US should act within the UN framework.  If the US takes unilateral action ultimately, how will it affect China-US relations?

A: The Chinese side has expressed for many times that the Iraqi issue should be solved politically and peacefully within the UN framework.  The UN has already adopted 59 resolutions in this regard, and we call on Iraq to fully and effectively implement and observe the relevant UN resolutions.  At the same time, the international community should make joint efforts to solve the Iraqi issue within the UN framework.

Here I want to brief you on the characteristics of the general debate of this year’s UN General Assembly.  Firstly, all member states stressed the importance of multilateralism and stood for the intensification of international cooperation and coordination.  Secondly, many countries emphasized that the role of the UN should be strengthened in accordance with the UN Charter.  Thirdly, the issue of development has received wide attention.  The vast majority of member states, especially developing countries held a universal view that the international community should attach greater importance to the development issue and various countries should intensify cooperation in poverty alleviation and promotion of common prosperity.  Fourthly, all parties expressed their willingness to continue to strengthen international anti-terrorism cooperation and believed that both the symptoms and root causes of terrorism should be treated.  Fifthly, most countries stood for peaceful solution of regional hotspots through political and diplomatic ways.  I think this is the universal call of the international community.  The handling of the Iraqi issue should comply with this call and be in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.  

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