arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

China, Russia Issue Joint Press Communiques 27/02/'03
China and Russia issued a foreign ministers' joint press communique in Beijing Thursday, calling for continued weapons inspections in Iraq and war to be avoided.

Following is the full text of the joint press communique:

Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Tang Jiaxuan and Russian Federation Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had in-depth discussions on the Iraq issue and reached wide consensus on Feb. 27.

The two sides expressed deep concern over the tension created by the Iraq issue.

The two sides advocate the Iraq crisis be resolved within the framework of the United Nations and through political and diplomatic means.

The UN Security Council resolution No. 1441, unanimously passed by the UN Security Council on Nov. 8, 2002, and other relevant resolutions have provided the necessary legal basis for handling the issue.

China and Russia believe that inspections by the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency are playing an important role and have already made some progress, so the inspections should continue. The UN Security Council should intensify its guidance and support the inspection work.

The two sides stress that Iraq should wholly, accurately and sincerely implement all the related UN Security Council resolutions, and possess no weapons of mass destruction and relevant delivery devices. Iraq should fully comprehend the importance and urgency of the inspections, make utmost efforts to improve cooperation with the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency and provide more active and concrete cooperation with inspectors, to create the necessary conditions for politically resolving the Iraq issue.

The two sides reiterate their determination to try their utmost to promote a political solution to the Iraq issue and believe war can and should be avoided. The international community has widely urged all steps be taken to avoid war. Such aspirations should be respected.

The two sides believe the UN Security Council shoulders the major responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, should observe principles set forth in the UN Charter and continue to play a key role in tackling the Iraq issue. All the UN member states should respect and safeguard the authority of the UN Security Council.

The two sides are determined to keep in close contact and cooperate in pushing forward a political solution to the Iraq issue on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter.

Direct Dialogue Between US, DPRK
China and Russia will endeavor to push for a dialogue between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States, according to a joint communique joint communique issued by Chinese and Russian foreign ministers in Beijing Thursday.

The communique says an equal and constructive dialogue between the United States and the DPRK on the DPRK nuclear issue will be of great significance to the normalization of relations between the DPRK and the United States.

Both China and Russia are ready to actively push for a political solution of the DPRK nuclear issue in the bilateral and multilateral arenas so as to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, the communique says.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and visiting Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov expressed deep concern over the situation in the Korean peninsula in the communique.

They said that in a sincere desire to promote and strengthen peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Russia jointly called for all relevant parties to make all necessary efforts to seek a peaceful and just resolution of the issue.

The two sides emphasize that they are in accord with the common aspiration of the international community to maintain the nuclear-free status of the Korean peninsula, safeguard the system of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction on the peninsula and maintain peace, security and stability in the region.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/