China and Arab states agreed on Thursday to step up the anti-terror cooperation in bilateral, regional and multi-lateral fields.

 

The agreement is part of a communiqué that came in the wake of the second Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum which concluded Thursday afternoon.

 

"China and Arab states condemn terrorism of any form and oppose linking up terrorism with certain nationality or religion," the communiqué says.

 

"China and Arab states support Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's proposal on establishing an international anti-terror center," the communiqué says.

 

Abdullah's proposal was put forward at the international anti-terror conference held in Riyadh in February, 2005.

 

As for the nuclear situation in the Middle East, the communiqué says China supports the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East and all the countries in the region should abide by relevant pacts on prohibiting nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

 

Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Amr Mahmoud Moussa has called for establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

 

"It is not a nuclear issue of Iran but a nuclear issue of the Middle East," Moussa said.

 

The communiqué says that China supports the Arab states' strategic choice to realize the just and all-round peace of the Middle East, which is based on their adherence to relevant UN resolutions, the land-for-peace principle, the Arab peace initiative and the roadmap peace plan for the Middle East.

 

China backs to restore the legitimate rights of Arab people, particularly the rights of Arab people in Palestine to establish their independent country, and accomplish the lasting peace of the Middle East, the communiqué says.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 1, 2006)