Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held a phone conversation on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on the best way of resolving the question of arms inspections in Iraq, and they had an in-depth exchange of views on the Iraq issue.

Ivanov stated the Russian stance on the situation, expressing the view that the issue should be solved by political means on the basis of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions,and in line with the norms of international law.

The Russian side hopes to maintain close contact with China on the issue, he added.

Tang Jiaxuan elaborated the position of the Chinese government on the Iraq issue, which he reaffirmed, should be resolved within the framework of the United Nations. The top priority at present in solving the issue was to enable UN weapon inspectors to return to work in Iraq at an early date, he added.

The U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and Iraq would negotiate on the detailed arrangements forweapon inspections, he said.

He urged Iraq to cooperate with the U.N. in an all-round way toreach an agreement as soon as possible.

He also noted that all the actions taken by the U.N. Security Council should be conducive to a political settlement.

As permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, China and Russia shouldered a heavy responsibility to safeguard world peace and security, and China was willing to continue to strengthen consultation and cooperation with Russia to prompt the Iraq issue to develop in the direction of a political settlement, he said.

Also on September 30, Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Guangya met in Beijing with William Ehrman, the special envoy of the British foreign secretary.

Ehrman briefed Wang on Britain's views of the issue, saying that Britain hoped to closely consult and coordinate with China.

Wang reiterated China's stance on the Iraq issue, stressing that Iraq should comprehensively and strictly implement the relevant U.N. resolutions.

The Chinese side would continue to make joint efforts with other members of the Security Council to push for a political resolution within the U.N. framework.

Earlier, U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman in Washington D.C. briefed Zhou Wenzhong, a visiting Chinese assistant foreign minister, about the next step his country would take on the Iraq issue.

( October 1, 2002)