Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji Thursday urged Israel to immediately implement related resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council, withdraw all troops from Palestinian territory and ensure the personal safety of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Zhu made the remarks during talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of Luxembourg, who arrived in Beijing Thursday morning for a working visit to China as Zhu's guest.
The two leaders exchanged in-depth views on international and regional issues such as the Palestine-Israel conflict, the international situation following the September 11 attacks on the United States and anti-terrorism.
On the Palestine-Israel conflict, Zhu briefed Juncker on China' s positive efforts for reducing the current tension in the Middle East and China's principled position.
China holds that Arafat, leader of the Palestinian people and one of the initiators of the Palestine-Israel peace talks, has made important contributions to the Mideast peace process, said Zhu.
He appealed to the international community to play a more positive and effective role, adding that China appreciates the efforts made by the European Union (EU) countries, including Luxembourg, for easing Mideast tensions.
China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will continue to make its due contributions for an early settlement of the Mideast issue alongside the international community, Zhu stressed.
Juncker said that the EU countries are deeply worried about the deterioration of the Mideast situation.
The EU holds that all peace-loving countries should make concerted efforts to push for an early settlement of the Mideast issue, and the US, China and the EU in particular should strengthen cooperation in this regard.
(China Daily April 5, 2002)
