China supported the idea of the UN playing an important role in
the reconstruction of Iraq, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said
Monday at a High-Level Meeting on Iraq.
Addressing the meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the
61st session of the UN General Assembly, Li said China supported
the International Compact with Iraq and hoped that the relevant
mechanisms would be widely representative and inclusive and would
give full play to the leading role of the UN.
Hoping to see an Iraq of national reconciliation, he stressed
that "the Iraqi people should put the overall interest of
themselves above anything else, show respect and understanding for
each other, and be tolerant with and trust each other."
"They should keep up the momentum of dialogue and consultation
and move the process of national reconciliation forward," Li
added.
He also made it clear that China supports the Arab states in
their efforts to help achieve national reconciliation in Iraq.
"We call on all countries to respect the choices independently
made by the Iraqi people and refrain from interfering in the
internal affairs of Iraq," he said.
Li also emphasized that China hoped for a stable and peaceful
Iraq, saying "military means alone will not solve the problems, and
violence or terrorism will bring no security."
He thus called on all factions and organizations in Iraq to
renounce the use of force and settle their differences through
peaceful and democratic means.
"The international community should make constructive efforts to
help Iraq adopt effective security measures and reform its security
agencies so that they can promptly discharge the responsibility of
maintaining security in Iraq," Li added.
He also addressed the importance of human rights in the war-torn
country, saying that the promotion of human rights and the
restoration of the rule of law should be a key priority for the new
Iraqi government.
"It is China's consistent position that the sovereignty,
independence and territorial integrity of Iraq should be upheld and
that the Iraqi issue should be resolved through political means so
that Iraq will be governed by the Iraqi people," he concluded.
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2006)
