China will continue to work toward a peaceful resolution of the
Iranian nuclear dispute through diplomatic
dialogue, a senior official has said.
Speaking at a meeting of senior officials from France, Germany,
the UK, the US, Russia and China in London on Wednesday, Assistant
Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said that China has supported the
talks between the EU and Iran.
Senior officials of the six countries met to discuss Iran's
nuclear issues, as there is no sign of the country stopping its
uranium enrichment work.
There were also talks concerning a third round of sanctions
against Iran.
However, in his speech Cui urged all parties to act to create
the conditions and atmosphere for renegotiation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Zhang Yan, director of the Foreign
Ministry's Department of Arms Control and Disarmament, reiterated
China's standpoint on nuclear non-proliferation.
As head of the Chinese delegation at the General Debate of the
First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Zhang said China
has always pursued a peaceful resolution of the Korean Peninsula
and Iranian nuclear issues through dialogue and consultation.
China will cooperate with all parties concerned to push forward
the settlement of these regional nuclear issues, he said.
Meanwhile, Zhang said China unconditionally undertakes not to be
the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and in any
circumstances, and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons
against non-nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-weapon-free
zones.
China honors its commitment to the moratorium on nuclear tests
and supports the initiative of the non-nuclear-weapon states to
establish nuclear-weapon-free zones. China opposes and will not
take part in any kind of nuclear arms race, Zhang said.
During his speech, Zhang made three proposals aimed at
preventing nuclear proliferation. First, the international
community should follow the purposes and principles of the UN
Charter and other universally recognized norms of international
law.
Second, regional and international non-proliferation issues
should be addressed through dialogue and negotiation.
Third, countries should move with the times and seek a fair,
reasonable and effective way to enhance the nuclear
non-proliferation regime through broad consultation.
Zhang said the "13 Practical Steps" on non-proliferation and
disarmament outlined at the 2000 NPT Review Conference provide
important guidelines on promoting the nuclear disarmament process.
The international community should take full consideration of the
current situation and effectively and faithfully implement these
steps.
He said the two countries (the US and Russia) with the largest
nuclear arsenals bear special responsibility and should take the
lead in nuclear disarmament, and they should implement the
agreement they have concluded in a verifiable and irreversible
manner.
The two-week First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the
2010 NPT Review Conference opened in Geneva on Monday.
(China Daily May 4, 2007)
