Beijing stressed that the Iraq issue should be resolved politically within the framework of the United Nations (UN) and Iraq should truly and comprehensively implement relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan made the remarks when talking with British Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jack Straw on Sunday by telephone.
Straw briefed Tang on British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to Russia and his meetings with Russian leaders and on Britain's relevant consultations with the UN Security Council.
Blair arrived in Moscow late last Thursday and headed immediately for Putin's country dacha at Zavidovo, 120 kilometers north of the Russian capital.
Putin and Blair agreed that a tough new UN regime of weapons inspections was needed in Iraq but made clear the case for military actions against Baghdad remained unconvincing.
The talks took place as US President George W. Bush obtained authorization from the US Congress to attack Iraq.
Tang said on Sunday that the imperative is to readmit UN weapons inspectors to Iraq as soon as possible and to let them carry out their work smoothly.
Resuming UN's weapons inspections to Iraq is a key step that is indispensable in resolving the Iraq issue, said Tang.
He positively evaluated the co-operative spirit China and Britain and other UN Security Council members had shown during consultations and when seeking agreement on the issue.
Straw said that Britain and China have kept up active consultations and enjoy a broad consensus on bilateral and international issues, adding that he expected to maintain close co-operation with China on the issue of Iraq.
(China Daily October 14, 2002)
