Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Norwegian counterpart, Thorbjoern Jagland, exchanged views on phone Monday on bilateral ties, Sino-Norwegian cooperation in the UN and alleviation of the humanitarian status in Iraq.

Jagland spoke highly of Norway's relations with China and China 's important role in the international arena.

On the Iraq issue, Jagland said Norway believes that sanctions on Iraq should not harm its innocent civilians, and as the chairing nation of the Iraq Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, Norway will offer some detailed suggestion in this regard.

Tang appreciated Norway's efforts in reducing the side effects brought about by the sanctions imposed on Iraq, adding that China is closely attentive to the deteriorating humanitarian status there.

He called on the UN Security Council to make a fair and objective judgment on Iraq's implementation of relevant UN resolutions, so as to lift the sanctions step by step and eventually remove all the sanctions.

(Xinhua 02/26/2001)