China's top legislator Li Peng met with Chairman of the National Assembly of Iraq Saadoun Hamadi, President of the Saudi Arabian Consultative Council Sheikh Mohammed Ibrahim Bin Jubair, Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly Jasim Mohmmad Al-Kharafi and Vice-Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohsen Armin, on separate occasions Thursday in Chongqing, a municipal city in southwest China.
Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), extended a warm welcome to the guests attending the third annual meeting of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP).
Li expressed hope that the AAPP meeting would further promote cooperation and exchanges between China and the four countries within the framework of the AAPP.
Li said he agreed with the positive comments by the parliamentary leaders on their countries' relations with China and the relations between Islamic and Arab countries and China. He thanked the guests for their briefing on the Middle East situation.
Islamic and Arabic countries are important forces in the international arena, Li said, adding that China attaches great importance to friendly relations with these countries.
China welcomes and supports the achievements made in the recent Arabic summit meeting, he said.
This is a reflection of further solidarity in the Arab and Islamic world, according to the chairman.
China consistently opposes unilateralism, hegemonism and power politics, and stands for multipolarization, Li said.
China hopes the Arab countries would play an even more important role in regional and international affairs, he said.
China is deeply concerned about the impasse in the Middle East peace process, Li said.
The international community has the responsibility to help realize peace and stability in this region, he said.
China appreciates and supports the efforts made by Islamic and Arab countries in pushing forward the Middle East peace process and the Arabic peace initiative passed at the Arab League summit meeting, Li said.
The initiative accords with the United Nations resolutions and the land-for-peace principle in raveling Palestine-Israel issue, he said.
China strongly hopes that relevant UN resolutions be strictly implemented and is willing to make efforts for an early solution of the Middle East issue together with the international community, he said.
On China-Iran relations, Li said as an important country in the region, Iran plays an important role in safeguarding the peace and security of the Middle East and the Gulf Region.
China has kept good relations with Iran in many fields, which not only serves the interests of the two peoples, but is also conducive to the peace and stability of the region and the world at large. Hamadi said that relations between Iraq and China have kept developing since the two countries forged diplomatic ties, and Iraq hopes to further cooperation on economy and trade with China.
He voiced hope that China, a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations, would play a more important role in advocating justice and safeguarding world peace and stability.
He also expressed hope that the parliaments of the two countries would strengthen cooperation and exchanges.
Jubair said that the relations between Saudi Arabia and China have developed smoothly.
On the regional situation, he said that the current situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate, and Saudi Arabia is concerned about it.
He spoke highly of the just stance China has taken on the Middle East issue, and said that Saudi Arabia appreciates China's support for peace in the Middle East region.
Al-Kharafi said that the Kuwaiti people would never forget China's support to Kuwait in safeguarding its independence and sovereignty. He praised China's consistent just stance in international affairs.
He said he hoped that China would play an even more important role in resolving the conflict between Palestine and Israel.
Kuwait hopes for further cooperation with China in all fields, he said.
Armin said that the world has changed greatly after the September 11 incident, and unilateralism and hegemony have intensified, which is detrimental to world peace and stability.
He said that Iran attaches importance to its relations with China, and is willing to further cooperation with China in all fields.
(People's Daily April 19, 2002)
