China has lodged representations with the United States on the
Dalai Lama's US visit, calling for the US side to keep its promise
that it acknowledges Tibet as part of China and does not support
the "independence of Tibet," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan
said in Beijing Thursday.
Kong made the remark at a regular press briefing in reply to a
reporter's question about the Dalai Lama's visit to the United
States from Sept. 4 to 24 and the possibility that he would meet
with US President George W. Bush and State Secretary Colin
Powell.
Kong said the Dalai Lama is not purely a religious figure, but a
political figure in exile, who has engaged in China-separating
activities for a long time.
The Chinese side has lodged representation with the US side and
request it to keep its promises, the spokesman said.
DPRK highly values China's efforts in six-party talks
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) highly values a
great deal of work China had done for the Beijing six-party talks,
said Kong.
He said that holding the six-party talks was the DPRK's idea and
it believed there were positive results from the talks and hopes to
peacefully solve related issues by dialogue.
Kong said the talks show the relevant sides have differences,
some of which are very serious, as well as consensus.
But because of the talks, the goal of realizing a nuclear-free
Korean Peninsula has been set and the dialogue process to
peacefully resolve the issue has been started, said Kong.
He said China hopes and believes that as long as the process can
be continued, the related parties, especially the DPRK and the
United States, will understand each other better, reduce mistrust
and gain more consensus.
Kong said during the talks that the DPRK has made it clear that
to have nuclear weapons is not its goal, but rather its goal is to
realize a nuclear-free peninsula. China supports its position and
believes that its security concerns should be resolved
properly.
To guarantee a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and maintain the
peace and stability of the peninsula conforms to the interests of
all sides, said the spokesman.
On CNTBT, PSI
Turning to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CNTBT),
Kong Quan said that China sees great significance in the treaty,
especially in promoting the process of nuclear disarmament.
China has signed the treaty, Kong said, disclosing that it has
been submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC), the
country's top legislature, for deliberation and final
ratification.
China hopes the treaty will come into force as soon as possible,
Kong said, adding the NPC would ratify the treaty according to the
due legal procedures.
When asked about Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), Kong
said, China understands the relevant countries' concerns about the
proliferation of nuclear weapons.
However, Kong added, there are quite a number of countries which
are still doubtful about the effectiveness and legal validity of
the PSI.
It requires prudence under such circumstances, Kong said. China
holds that the best way so far to prevent the proliferation of the
weapons of mass destruction and jointly safeguard public security
is through consultation and dialogue, the spokesman said.
China welcomes Iraqi new government
China welcomes the new Iraqi government and hopes it restore
normal order to Iraq, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman
Kong Quan, adding that China hopes the new government promote the
process of allowing the Iraqi people to exert their
sovereignty.
He said China's goal in the Iraq issue is to resume normal order
in that country and enable the Iraqi people to exercise
sovereignty, and China hopes that in this process Iraq's
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity should be
safeguarded.
The United Nations is preparing to discuss a new proposal on the
reconstruction of Iraq and that China has taken part in this work,
he said, adding that the role of the United Nations should be
strengthened.
On Monday, the Iraqi Governing Council named a 25-member
cabinet, the first following the overthrow of former Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein on April 9.
China hopes Palestine, Israel resume right
track
China hopes Palestine and Israel will cooperate with the
international community, take practical steps and resume the right
track of peacefully resolving the Middle East issue, said Kong
Quan.
Kong said that all relevant parties in the international
community are working toward realizing a peaceful Middle East and
have made some progress previously.
But the present situation in the region as a whole can be called
"sailing against the current", and China is very concerned about
the escalation of violent activities there, the spokesman said.
(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2003)