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TITLE: China Calls for Early Lifting of UN Sanctions on Iraq |
AUTHOR: |
PUB/ORG: Associated Press |
DATE: December 26, 2000 |
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China on Tuesday said the humanitarian situation in Iraq is worsening and called for the early lifting of U.N. sanctions. The appeal, issued by China's Foreign Ministry, follows a highly symbolic Chinese mission to Baghdad that included an unexpected meeting with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Chinese Cabinet minister Ismail Amat delivered humanitarian aid to Baghdad, carried on the first direct flight from Beijing in 10 years. The mission, which occurred over the weekend, underscored China's desire to end the sanctions - something it has been pushing for in the U.N. Security Council with fellow permanent members Russia and France against Britain and the United States. Amat gave Saddam a letter of support from Chinese President Jiang Zemin and toured an underground bunker bombed during the Gulf War. He visited a children's hospital to gauge "the Iraqi people's sufferings under long-term sanctions and the great losses war caused Iraq,'' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We tried to convey the profound sympathy of the Chinese government and people to the Iraqi people who have been suffering from sanctions,'' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a media briefing.``The humanitarian situation in Iraq continues to be very grave and it can also be said that it is deteriorating.'' Zhang provided no specific examples from Amat's trip to illustrate what China considers the worsening conditions in Iraq. "China would like to see the early lifting of sanctions against Iraq,'' she said. The Chinese support was welcome in Baghdad. Iraqi state television said Saddam, while meeting Amat, accused Britain and the United States of violating U.N. resolutions. In declaring sympathy for Iraq, Zhang however also signaled that China was not attempting to circumvent the United Nations in ending the sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. She reiterated China's position that U.N. resolutions on Iraq need to be fully respected. That, she said, means "fairly and objectively'' assessing Iraq's progress in meeting U.N. demands so that the sanctions can be gradually eased. In the past China has also called on Baghdad to work with the U.N. inspectors who need to verify that Iraq has dismantled biological, chemical and nuclear weapons programs. Previously the target of sanctions, China generally opposes their use. It abstained in the U.N. Security Council vote that allowed a U.S.-led force to wage war against Iraq for the invasion of Kuwait. In recent years, China has quietly stepped up contacts, hoping to land contracts for business and oil shipments once sanctions fall and improve its influence in the Middle East. Two-way trade grew 60 percent last year to dlrs 264 million, by Chinese government statistics. Zhang, the spokeswoman, said China has also provided an unspecified amount of aid to Iraq but said all the assistance has been approved by the U.N. sanctions committee.With China working hard to raise its profile in the Middle East, Zhang also announced that Vice President Hu Jintao would travel to Iran, Syria and Jordan next month. He will also visit Cyprus and Uganda. END |