Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said in Beijing Wednesday that China calls for an early removal of sanctions on Libya and will make unremitting efforts for that end.
Tang made the remarks Wednesday afternoon during a telephone conversation with Abdul-Rahman Mahammad Shalgam, secretary of the Foreign Communication and International Cooperation of the General People's Committee (Cabinet) of Libya, who requested the conversation.
Shalgam briefed Tang on Libya's call for completely lifting the sanctions against the country following the verdict by a special Scottish court last month in the Netherlands over the explosion of a US airliner over Scotland in 1988, in which 270 people died.
The Chinese minister noted that Libya has suffered under the sanctions for years after the Lockerbie incident happened more than a decade ago. The sanctions have caused great damage and misery to the Libyan people and the family members of the victims.
"The Chinese government has always opposed the frequent choice of sanctions and calls for an early lifting of sanctions on Libya," said Tang. "China hopes that relevant parties continue to negotiate for an appropriate settlement of the Lockerbie issue as early as possible, and China will work with other members of the international community for a complete lifting of sanctions on Libya."
(Xinhua 02/08/01)
