Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing Friday
that the Middle East peace process has reached a new era and
Palestinians and Israelis are facing an opportunity to realize
peace.
Kong made the remarks in response to a question on the recent
visits of Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and the Israeli
Foreign Minister's special envoy Oren Shachor to China.
Kong said the two briefed China on the situation in the Middle
East, especially on the latest developments of the reconciliation
process.
He
said China appreciated and supported the measures the two sides had
taken to actively cooperate with the peace efforts of the
international community and to ease tensions.
China urged the two sides to take effective measures to fulfill the
promise of the cease-fire and army withdrawals so as to push
forward the reconciliation process, he said.
He
said China would, as always, work with the international community
and contribute to the realization of long-term stability in the
Middle East and peaceful coexistence between the Palestinian and
Israeli peoples.
Kong said the two sides expressed their willingness to resolve the
conflict through political negotiations.
They asked China to play a bigger role in Middle East issues, Kong
said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2003)