President Jiang Zemin stressed Tuesday that every possible measure
should be taken to avoid war on Iraq.
During a phone conversation with German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder Tuesday afternoon, Jiang reiterated that China supports
further weapons inspections in Iraq.
He
called for continuing the enforcement of the United Nations (UN)
Security Council Resolution 1441.
A
flurry of diplomatic activity, including high-level visits and
phone calls, have taken place recently over the Iraq crisis. The
Foreign Ministers of China and Russia issued a communique at the
end of last month, stressing the importance of resolving the Iraqi
issue through political and diplomatic means within the UN
framework.
How to resolve the Iraqi issue will have a profound impact on the
international situation and international relations in the new
century, said Jiang.
A
press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Schroeder as
expressing concern over the Iraqi crisis.
Germany hopes that the international community will work together
to peacefully resolve the issue, Schroeder was quoted as
saying.
He
said that the UN weapons inspectors should be given more time,
adding that Iraq should meanwhile completely destroy its weapons of
mass destruction.
(China Daily March 5, 2003)