State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan reiterated on Wednesday that any UN reform plan should highlight and give top priority to "development issues."

He urged UN member states to continue pushing for the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted in 2000 at the 55th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, which was described by Tang as an "important opportunity."

He made these remarks while meeting with Arab representatives who were attending the second high-level meeting of the Chinese-Arab Cooperation Forum in Beijing between June 14 and 15.

"If all parties are mired in the disputes about the expansion of the Security Council, it will be hard to focus on the discussion of development issues at the September summit. It might even achieve nothing," Tang said.

"It will be a huge loss beyond compensation for most countries. We should not allow such a thing to happen."

Tang, China's former foreign minister, said China supports a reform of the UN based on the consideration for the future and destiny of the world organization as well as the common interests of all countries, he said.

He said the purpose of the reform is to strengthen rather than weaken the UN. "Any plan must take into account the opinion of most countries and have broad consensus, a manifestation of the workings of democracy in international relations," he said.

"It will inevitably intensify the conflict among many countries if an immature plan is put to the vote or adopted," Tang added. "The UN will then find it difficult to operate normally with its authority and influence severely weakened."

"We would not like to see such a result and that should be avoided at all costs."

Tang also called for increasing the representation of developing countries in UN reform, citing the glaring absence of developing nations, including Arab states, in the present formation of the Security Council. "That is why the expansion of the council was put on the agenda," he said.

It is the foundation as well as the direction for the Security Council reform to give a say to more developing countries in important international affairs, he said.

"It is also a principle we must abide by, and China cannot accept a result that goes against that principle," Tang added.

Chinese-Arab cooperation hailed

In other developments, Tang on Wednesday also hailed Chinese-Arab relations, saying that he hoped China and Arab nations could further friendships through the platform of the Chinese-Arab Cooperation Forum.

He said the forum is an important platform for dialogue and cooperation and is of significance to Sino-Arab friendship and cooperation.

Tang made the remark in a meeting with representatives from the League of Arab States secretariat and other participants attending the two-day forum.

He said he hoped China and the Arab countries would cooperate to improve the forum and enrich its content so as to push forward Chinese-Arab ties.

"The Chinese government values its traditional friendship with the Arab states," Tang said, adding that China will follow the guiding principles of Sino-Arab relations put forward by President Hu Jintao during his visit to the League of Arab States. The principles emphasize political equality and mutual trust, economic cooperation for mutual benefit, further cultural exchanges and close coordination in key international issues, including UN reforms.

Representatives from the Arab states said they hoped to further coordination and cooperation with China in all areas and build new partnerships.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2005)