Zhu Monday met Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a three-day visit.

The Chinese premier said China has consistently opposed terrorism of any kind but said there should be no double standards in the fight against terrorism.

Zhu's words echoed earlier remarks made by Vice-Premier Qian Qichen. Qian told the Iraqi delegation at a separate meeting that China does not support the expansion of anti-terrorist military action but he said he hoped that Iraq would cooperate with the United Nations to avoid new and complicated situations from emerging.

According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhu pledged China would continue to work for the early resolution of the Iraq issue.

Zhu said China has always supported a just and rational resolution of the Iraq issue at an early date on the basis of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.

He expressed the hope that Iraq would cooperate further with the UN and improve relations with its neighbors to create conditions for the lifting of UN sanctions.

China holds that the international community should respect Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zhu added.

The Iraqi visitors praised China's stance on the issue. They said they hoped China would renew its efforts towards an early resolution of the Iraq issue.

Aziz said the Iraq issue has lasted for 12 years and has led to extreme hardship for the Iraqi people. He said that Iraq hopes that sanctions against it will be lifted as soon as possible.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman quoted Aziz as saying that Iraq attaches great importance to China's role in international affairs and has put a lot of effort into the development of co-operative relations with China.

Aziz will leave Beijing for Moscow today.

(China Daily January 29, 2002)