China seeks resolutions to the Iran nuclear issue through
diplomatic negotiations, and will maintain its constructive role in
achieving this goal, Premier Wen Jiabao told visiting Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert in Beijing yesterday.
Wen reiterated his country's support for the international
nuclear non-proliferation regime, and highlighted the grave concern
felt by the Security Council over Iran's nuclear program, a concern
which led to UN Resolution 1737.
Olmert's three-day China trip is the final leg of his journey to
all five permanent members of the UN Security Council aimed at
assessing consequences of Iran's potential nuclear-weapon
capability.
Zhu Weilie, a researcher on the Middle East, gave his opinion
that Olmert's biggest mission during the trip is to exchange views
with the Chinese government on the issue.
Five days earlier, Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani
visited China and conveyed Iran's stance on the nuclear issue.
During talks with Larijani, President Hu Jintao expressed the hope
that Iran would respond seriously to Resolution 1737.
China's efforts to kick-start the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue
and re-launch the peace process will also be high on the
agenda.
Wen said China supports the peaceful co-existence of Israel and
Palestine and sees the Palestinian issue as the core of the Middle
East issue. It hopes Israel, Syria and Lebanon will take
substantive measures to build mutual trust and create conditions
for the restart of peace talks.
"History and reality have proven that force cannot settle the
Middle East issue but only increase estrangement and animosity,"
Wen said. "China is ready to contribute to the Middle East peace
process and to dialogue between the Arab world and Israel."
Olmert spoke of Israel's willingness to resolve the Middle East
issue through peaceful negotiations and expressed appreciation for
China's long-term efforts in the region.
The visit by Olmert, who is scheduled to meet Hu today, is also
to mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
ties.
Being a descendent of a Jewish family that lived in Harbin,
capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Olmert said he had a
spiritual connection with the country.
"I wish my parents were alive for them to be able to see that we
are back to the place where my family came from to strengthen the
friendship of two great nations and two great countries," he told
Wen.
(China Daily January 11, 2007)
