China felt "deeply shocked" by and "strongly condemned" an Israeli air raid on a UN post in south Lebanon, and urged for immediate ceasefire, the Foreign Ministry said today.

 

The air raid killed four UN observers, including one from China.

 

"China urges the concerned sides, especially Israel, to take tangible measures to ensure the security of UN peacekeepers," ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

 

China called concerned sides back to the track of talks to seek for a political solution.

 

"China will work with the international community, further diplomatic efforts and push the Middle East situation back to peace and stability at an early date," Liu said.

 

"We feel deep sorrow for the victims and convey sincere condolences to their families," he said.

 

Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun called in Israeli Ambassador Yehoyada Haim Wednesday morning and made solemn representations.

 

"China strongly condemns the activity to raid the UN peacekeeping post and urges Israel to carry out thorough investigation and apologize to China and the victim's family and coordinate with China to deal with the aftermath," Zhai told the ambassador.

 

Haim expressed the Israeli government's apology for the event, pledging to carry out broad and in-depth investigation to find the truth at an early date.

 

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Wang Guangya made an emergency call today to UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown, asking the UN to require Israel to take every measure to ensure the security of UN peacekeepers, including those from China, and investigate the event.

 

The Chinese victim Du Zhaoyu was among the four UN peacekeepers killed in the Israeli air strike last night.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2006)