China?has asked relevant parties in Myanmar to show
restraint and properly handle the current situation, Foreign
Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular press conference
yesterday.
"As a neighbor, China is greatly concerned about the situation
in Myanmar, and we hope that all parties in Myanmar show restraint
and properly handle the current situation," Jiang said.
Jiang called on the concerned parties in Myanmar to prevent the
situation from becoming more complicated and spreading, and not to
affect the peace and stability in Myanmar and surrounding
regions.
China expects Myanmar could commit itself to improving the
living conditions of its people. Safeguarding the rapprochement
among different ethnic groups to resume peace and stability as soon
as possible is important, said Jiang.
Jiang also refuted reports that China has not exerted full
influence on the issue.
"We have noticed some false reports from particular media
sources," said Jiang, "They totally slander China out of ulterior
motives."
China hopes that the international media would make objective
reports; "Do not add fuel to the fire" but simply report the
situation as it is, she said.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon decided earlier on Wednesday to
send Ibrahim Gambari as his special envoy to Myanmar amid reports
of turmoil in the Southeast Asian country.
"China supports the UN Secretary-General and his special envoy's
mediating activities on Myanmar issue," the spokeswoman said.
The international community should provide constructive
assistance to Myanmar so as to alleviate the situation.
Myanmar's military leaders imposed a curfew and banned
gatherings of more than five people on Tuesday after thousands of
Buddhist monks and their supporters defied the authorities'
warnings and staged another day of protests.
Heavy oil delivery to N Korea
Fifty thousand tons of heavy oil assistance provided by China
has recently arrived in North Korea, Jiang said, adding that China
was willing to cooperate with other parties to implement the joint
document issued on February 13 in a all-round and balanced way so
as to continuously push forward the process of the six-party talks.
China hopes that all the parties involved will continue making
active efforts to ensure that the second phase of the sixth round
of the six-party talks will achieve positive results, Jiang
said.
The target for this phase of the talks is to conduct in-depth
discussions on follow-up actions to be taken for the
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, she said.
North Korea, under a joint document issued at the six-party
talks on February 13, should openly disclose all nuclear programs
and disable all existing nuclear facilities in exchange for one
million tons of heavy oil or equivalent aid.
South Korea provided the first batch of 50,000 tons of heavy oil
assistance. China's is the second batch.
The six-party talks, initiated in 2003, involve China, North and
South Korea, the US, Russia and Japan.
Iceland's, Philippine presidents to visit
Jiang announced that President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson
will pay a work visit to China from October 2 to 11 at the
invitation of President Hu Jintao.
President Grimsson is also invited to watch the 2007 Special
Olympics World Summer Games that runs from October 2 to 11 in
China's economic powerhouse Shanghai.
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is invited to watch
the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai from
October 2 to 3.
President Arroyo will also visit Yantai, a coastal city in the
eastern China province of Shandong, said Jiang.
(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2007)
