China explains stance in Arab world
(UPI) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing defended his country's position on several critical Middle East issues Tuesday at the ongoing national congress.
"China and Arab countries enjoy very good cooperation. Since the inception of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum there has been close cooperation between the two sides, playing a very positive role," Li said, noting that the first business leaders' conference between China and the Arab world last year and ensuing talks had been successful.
Li called the Forum "a new platform for dialogue and cooperation between China and the Arab states," and said a second ministerial meeting would take place in Beijing later this year.
Critics said that China maintains a lackluster role in the oil-rich region. Claims Li rejected.
"On the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, we maintain that countries in that region should develop normal state-to-state relations and we have been working for peace and facilitating dialogs towards this goal," he said.
The foreign minister touched upon the recent uproar in Muslim countries over the Danish cartoons, saying that "different civilizations should respect each other."
Li said China's position on Iraq was to respect its sovereignty. And on Iran's nuclear program, if allowed to proceed, it must only be used for peaceful energy purposes.
"The nuclear issue in Iran is also a question of interest to China," Li said. "We maintain the international non-proliferation regime should be safeguarded, and we are opposed to any forms of proliferation of nuclear weapons."
Li noted that as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, "Iran is entitled to the right of using nuclear energy peacefully, and of course it should shoulder its relevant obligations under that treaty."
Li said Vice Foreign Minister Liu Guozheng had just traveled to Tehran to "make the Chinese position more clear."
Liu arrived in the Iranian capital last Friday for a three-day visit to broker a last-minute deal on uranium enrichment before the issue heads to the U.N. Security Council.
Li noted the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Monday night that "there was still hope to arrive at some kind of agreement."
"China and Arab countries enjoy very good cooperation. Since the inception of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum there has been close cooperation between the two sides, playing a very positive role," Li said, noting that the first business leaders' conference between China and the Arab world last year and ensuing talks had been successful.
Li called the Forum "a new platform for dialogue and cooperation between China and the Arab states," and said a second ministerial meeting would take place in Beijing later this year.
Critics said that China maintains a lackluster role in the oil-rich region. Claims Li rejected.
"On the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, we maintain that countries in that region should develop normal state-to-state relations and we have been working for peace and facilitating dialogs towards this goal," he said.
The foreign minister touched upon the recent uproar in Muslim countries over the Danish cartoons, saying that "different civilizations should respect each other."
Li said China's position on Iraq was to respect its sovereignty. And on Iran's nuclear program, if allowed to proceed, it must only be used for peaceful energy purposes.
"The nuclear issue in Iran is also a question of interest to China," Li said. "We maintain the international non-proliferation regime should be safeguarded, and we are opposed to any forms of proliferation of nuclear weapons."
Li noted that as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, "Iran is entitled to the right of using nuclear energy peacefully, and of course it should shoulder its relevant obligations under that treaty."
Li said Vice Foreign Minister Liu Guozheng had just traveled to Tehran to "make the Chinese position more clear."
Liu arrived in the Iranian capital last Friday for a three-day visit to broker a last-minute deal on uranium enrichment before the issue heads to the U.N. Security Council.
Li noted the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Monday night that "there was still hope to arrive at some kind of agreement."
posted by Marko at 3/09/2006 12:25:00 AM
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