Wednesday, July 20 2005 17:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: China today (July 20, 2005) expressed confidence that, the two countries will be conducive to safeguarding peace and stability in the Asian region.

"The Chinese side has noted the report. The international community has reached consensus on relevant nuclear issues," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Kong Quan said, when asked whether the US-India nuclear agreement violated the UNSC resolution 1172 passed in the aftermath of the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in 1998. "We hope the US-India cooperation concerned will be conducive to safeguarding peace and stability in the Asian region," Kong told.

China, one of the five permanent members of the UNSC had taken the lead in drafting 1172 resolution. The resolution had, among other things, condemned the tests as well as urged India and Pakistan to immediately stop their nuclear weapon development programmes, to refrain from weaponisation or from deployment of nuclear weapons.