Spokesman Kong Quan made the remark in response to a question requesting comments on the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission's recently presentation of its quarterly report on weapons inspections.

Kong said that China had taken note of the presentation of the report, which reported some progress in inspections but said that some questions remain and listed major remaining tasks for the inspection. This indicates once again that the continuation of arms inspections is both necessary and urgent, Kong said.

He said that China supports the continuation of arms inspections by both agencies and urges Iraq to provide further, more active and more substantial cooperation and to deal seriously with the questions raised by the two agencies.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2003)