China stressed on Tuesday that United Nations Resolution 1244 is
still the political and legal basis of resolving the issue of
Kosovo's status.
"Unless the UN Security Council has other decisions which should
be abided by, the UN Security Council's Resolution 1244 is still
the political basis and legal foundation of resolving the issue of
Kosovo's status," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao told a
regular press conference.
Liu was responding to a question about whether China would
participate in the UN mission in Kosovo.
He said since 1999, the international presence in Kosovo,
including its combination and tasks, had been authorized and
approved by the UN Security Council.
"Before adopting any new resolution by the Security Council, any
efforts or acts to resolve the Kosovo issue should accord with
relevant regulations of the Resolution 1244," said Liu
He said that China would continue to play an active role in the
settlement of the Kosovo issue.
China has expressed grave concern over Kosovo's unilateral
declaration of independence on Monday.
"Kosovo's unilateral act can produce a series of results that
will lead to seriously negative influence on peace and stability in
the Balkan region and on the realization of building a multi-ethnic
society in Kosovo, which China is deeply concerned about," said
Liu.
Kosovo's parliament voted on Sunday to adopt a declaration of
independence at an extraordinary session on its independence from
Serbia.
But Serbian President Boris Tadic said that Serbia would never
recognize the independence of Kosovo.
Kosovo was a southern autonomous province within Serbia before
the breakup of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Among its
population of 2 million, more than 90 percent are ethnic Albanians.
Serbs make up about 7 percent.
Kosovo has been under UN administration since mid-1999, after
NATO air-strikes drove out Serbian forces from the province.
Special representative for Darfur to visit Britain,
Sudan
Liu Guijin, the Chinese government's special representative for
Darfur, will pay a visit to Britain from Feb. 21 to 23, and to
Sudan from Feb. 24 to 27, Liu announced.
He will pay the above visits at the invitations of Malloch
Brown, minister of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, and
the Sundanese Foreign Ministry, Liu said.
He said the Chinese envoy had paid three visits to Darfur and
shuttled between the United States, Britain and other countries
concerned, making unremitting efforts to resolving the Darfur issue.
The spokesman said the settlement of the Darfur issue has made
progress with the efforts of the whole international community
including China.
He referred to the signing of the Status of Forces Agreement
(SOFA) by the United Nations and the Sudanese government recently,
the deployment of hybrid troops, as well as the development of the
political process in this region.
Liu noted under the current circumstances, the UN, the African
Union (AU) and the Sudanese government should fully play their own
roles and be patient about resolving the issue through dialogue and
consultation. Arms should not be used easily to avoid the situation
from being deteriorated, he added.
Liu said the political process has lagged behind peacekeeping
deployment in the Darfur region.
He called on the international community to push forward the
political process and continue to persuade the opposing sides in
this region to join the political process and reach a peace
agreement with Sudan.
He said the international community should help Sudan to improve
the humanitarian and security situation to restore the peace and
stability of the region as early as possible.
British secretary of state for foreign affairs to visit
China
David Miliband, secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs of Britain, will pay an official visit to China from Feb.
24 to 29 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Liu announced.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)
