Beijing: China on March 6 rejected as "unnecessary" a second United Nations
resolution to authorise military action against Iraq and called for a political
solution within the UN framework to resolve the issue, which is at a "critical
juncture".
"China will continue to hold to its position of finding a political solution to the
issue of Iraq within the framework of UN resolution 1441 and there is no need for a
new UN resolution," Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said at his annual press
conference.
"As a permanent UN Security Council member, China will continue to try its best to
seek a political solution on Iraq," he said before leaving for New York to attend an
important Security Council meeting on Iraq.
Tang said the issue of Iraq is at a "critical juncture" of military action and a
political solution.
"China's position on this issue is known to all, we hope that a political solution
can be found within the framework of UN Resolution 1441," he said on the sidelines
of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's Parliament.
Tang said the tasks defined in UN resolution 1441 have not been fully accomplished,
especially the tasks of weapons inspection and efforts should be continued to
strengthen weapons inspection, seek a political solution and avert a war.
PTI
