President Hu Jintao yesterday expressed his "deep condolences" over the death of a Chinese UN observer killed in an Israeli air raid on a UN post in south Lebanon, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

 

Hu "demanded the Chinese departments concerned properly handle the aftermath of the incident and take every measure necessary to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in Lebanon," the statement said.

 

The air raid early Wednesday killed four UN observers, including one from China. The other three were from Finland, Austria and Canada, UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) sources confirmed.

 

"After being informed of the tragic death of the Chinese peacekeeper early this morning, President Hu instructed the departments concerned to condemn the attack on UN peacekeepers and expressed his deep condolences on the victims and sincere sympathy for their families," the statement said.

 

The Chinese victim named Du Zhaoyu, a lieutenant colonel of the Chinese People's Liberation Army with a postgraduate degree, was born in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province. He was sent to Lebanon in January this year as a UN observer.

 

Du had worked as secretary to the military attaché in the Chinese Embassy in India.

 

Du Zhaoyu

 

Israel has intensified its air raids on Lebanese targets since launching a massive assault on July 12 when Lebanon's Hezbollah guerillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight in cross-border attacks.

 

Over 350 Lebanese and 42 Israelis have been killed in the two-week conflicts.

 

Some 180 Chinese staff officers, engineers as well as three observers, including Du, were working in Lebanon, as part of the UN peacekeeping mission, according to diplomatic sources.

 

"Since the armed conflicts broke out in mid-July, President Hu has made quite a few instructions, requiring the related departments to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in Lebanon," according to the statement.

 

FM Li expresses condolences over death of UN peacekeepers

 

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday expressed shock and sadness over the death of four UN peacekeeping observers in Israeli bombings and expressed deep condolences to their families.

 

China is willing to work together with the international community and push forward an early resumption of peace and stability in the Middle East, Li said.

 

The UN and the international community should urge the warring sides to implement an immediate ceasefire and come back to the negotiating table so as to find a political solution to the issue, he said.

 

Li is here to attend the seventh foreign ministers' meeting between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) on July 26-28.

 

He will also attend the ASEAN's Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) with dialogue partners and the 13th ASEAN Regional Forum.

 

Ambassador Wang condemns Israeli attack on UN observer post 

 

Wang Guangya, Chinese permanent representative to the UN, condemned the Israeli attack on UN observer position in Lebanon that killed four UN observers and demands an end to all actions that might harm the UN positions.

 

"We think any attack on UN positions and personnel is inexcusable and unacceptable," the ambassador told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York yesterday.

 

Under the international norm, UN positions have to be protected, and therefore the government of Israel has the responsibility to protect the UN personnel there and to avoid any further actions that could harm the UN positions, he said.

 

Wang said China is working with other UN Security Council members on a presidential statement to condemn the Israeli attack on UN position in Lebanon. He noted that almost all members are united in the sense that the Security Council should take action, adding that agreement can be reached and a presidential statement will be issued today.

 

When asked if the Israeli attack is deliberate, the ambassador said the briefing of the incident by the UN Secretariat has made a clear case. He noted that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other senior UN officials have asked the Israeli government to ensure the safety of UN personnel, especially when there were signs that UN positions might become targets of Israeli attacks, yet the tragedy occurred.

 

"We regretted what has happened and condemned the attack on UN position there," he said.

 

Wang reiterated China's support for the Middle East peace process, adding that China is deeply concerned with the recent escalation of violence in the region, which has put the peace process in jeopardy, and cost enormous civilian casualties and infrastructure damages.

 

"China urges all parties concerned to reach a ceasefire at an early date and exercise restraint to avoid any civilian casualties," he said.

 

Israel probes into attack on UN post 

 

Israel has no intention to target UN peacekeepers and Israeli army is conducting investigation into the deadly attack, which claimed lives of four UN observers, Israeli military said yesterday.

 

"Israel would never target UN peacekeepers," an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said, adding that "everything is under investigation."

 

IDF expressed regret over the accident.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2006)