Chinese President Jiang Zemin and French counterpart Jacques Chirac
exchanged views on the situation in Iraq over the phone Thursday.
Chirac said the Iraq issue had come to a critical juncture and its
solution would affect the future of the world.
France held the opinion that at present the United Nations Security
Council should not adopt a resolution authorizing the use of force
and the international community should continue to make concerted
efforts to avert war.
Jiang said currently the implementation of UN Security Council
Resolution 1441 was proceeding fairly well and the weapons
inspection mechanism should be strengthened.
China stood for continuing to seek to solve the Iraq issue by
political means, and the door of peace should not be closed, Jiang
said.
Every effort should be made for a political solution to the Iraq
issue rather than choosing war, Jiang said.
China supported the joint declaration issued Wednesday by France,
Germany and Russia, the contents of which basically accorded with
China's position, Jiang told Chirac.
(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2003)