China welcomes the new partnership between Russia and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Foreign Ministry spokesman
Kong Quan said Thursday.
He
told a regular press conference that China hoped the deal would
contribute to peace and stability in Europe and the world.
Russia and NATO signed a declaration in the Italian capital Rome on
Tuesday on the establishment of a new Russia-NATO council.
"From a broader perspective, we hope this can help to establish a
new security concept based on mutual trust, mutual benefit,
equality and coordination," Kong said.
The Chinese government has always opposed military alliances and
maintains that the international community should set up a new
security framework, in which all countries would work together to
create a long-term, reliable and stable international environment
of peace, Kong added.
Kong said China hopes NATO will abide by the United Nations Charter
and play an important role in safeguarding peace and stability in
Europe as well the world as a whole.
China also welcomes the progress made in the relationship between
the two major nuclear powers Russia and the United States,
regarding this as beneficial to world peace and stability, he
said.
Kong then spoke about the issue of three people who entered the
South Korean Embassy last week. He said their identity had still
not been verified because the embassy had not handed over the
individuals to the Chinese authorities, Kong said.
He
stressed that China's policy on dealing with those who intrude into
foreign embassies would never change. The Chinese government will
deal with illegal intruders according to international and domestic
law and in a humanitarian spirit, he added.
Kong then commented on reports that New Zealand Foreign Minister
Phil Goff had recently met the Dalai Lama. The spokesman said the
Dalai Lama should not be regarded as a religious figure but instead
as a political exile who has engaged in separatist activities under
the cloak of religion.
"We hope New Zealand will give serious consideration to China's
position," Kong said.
Kong noted that, on May 28-29 China and India held the second
meeting of the China-India Eminent Persons' Group and the
participants included people from politics, economics, culture and
other fields.
They exchanged views and put forward suggestions and proposals with
the aim of benefiting mutual understanding and bilateral relations
as well promoting cooperation in all sectors.
The meeting was convened in accordance with the consensus reached
between leaders of both countries in May 2000. Its first session
was held in India last September.
(China
Daily May 31, 2002)