President Hu Jintao
and US President George W. Bush will meet in New York to discuss
bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common
concern on the sidelines of the UN 60th anniversary summit in
mid-September, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The two heads of state made the agreement Saturday in their
phone conversation.
They will also exchange views on matters concerning the UN, Qin
Gang said at yesterday's regular press conference.
Hu will leave Beijing on Thursday to start his scheduled visits
to Canada and Mexico, after which he will attend the UN summit,
according to Qin.?
During his Canada visit, Qin said Hu will meet with Canada's
Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson and Prime Minister Paul Martin
in Ottawa, and then travel to Toronto to attend the first forum on
China-Canada economic and trade cooperation.
Further aid for US
The Chinese government will consider providing further aid for
the US hit by Hurricane Katrina if it is needed, Qin said, adding
that both sides need to discuss details.
He announced Saturday that China had decided to offer disaster
relief up to US$5 million along with emergency supplies, and, if
necessary, would send rescue teams to help with medical treatment
and epidemic prevention in the disaster-stricken areas.
Hurricane Katrina hit the southern part of the US on August 29,
causing widespread devastation.
On August 31, Hu sent a telegram to Bush, expressing sympathy
and condolences to him, the US government and citizens.
Six-party talks
The fourth
round of six-party talks should resume the week of September 12
and, as for the specific date, the Chinese side still needs to
coordinate with the relevant parties, Qin said.
He said that all concerned parties would continue consultation
and discussion on the related issues during the upcoming second
phase of the fourth-round six-party talks.
The fourth round of the Korean nuclear talks that started on
July 26 and broke for a recess on August 7 failed to resume as
scheduled in the week of August 29. But North Korea has since
agreed to rejoin the second phase of talks.
Qin said the parties concerned have continued with intense and
frequent consultations and dialogue during the recess.
"Now all the relevant parties are working to specify the
starting date of the second phase of talks," he said, hoping that
during the talks, all parties would work toward realizing
denuclearization and safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula, show flexibility and narrow their differences, in a bid
to attain progress in the six-party talks.
Human rights treaty
Qin said China is actively making preparations for the
ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, which was signed by the government in 1998.
He clarified that China's human rights organizations have
started drafting a proposal to be submitted to the country's top
legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC),
for approval of the treaty.
He also noted that the government is committed to judicial
reform to strengthen the protection of human rights, in the light
of China's current circumstances.
Iranian nuclear issue?
Qin said China advocates that the Iranian nuclear issue should
be resolved within the framework of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog.
He said resolving the issue via negotiations conforms to the
interests of all countries concerned and is beneficial for the
peace and stability in the region.
He also expressed the hope that all parties maintain patience
and continue constructive cooperation to achieve a settlement of
the issue.
(Xinhua News Agency, CRI.com September 7, 2005)