Chinese President Jiang Zemin discussed over phone the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Iraq issue with US President George W. Bush Monday night.
Bush said the United States attaches importance to China's stand on the nuclear issue and is ready to achieve denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula through multilateral efforts.
Bush reiterated the US position on the Iraq issue, emphasizing that the issue concerns the security of the United States.
On the nuclear issue of the DPRK, Jiang said China hopes that various sides should keep calm and avoid actions which may make the situation tenser.
China approves the US intention of addressing related matters peacefully through dialogue, Jiang said.
The form of dialogue is not the most important, the key is that whether both sides have sincerity, whether the dialogue has substantial content and result, whether it is favorable to the denuclearization in the peninsula, to solving the matters which the United States and the DPRK care about and to safeguarding the peace and stability of the peninsula, Jiang said.
As to the Iraq issue, Jiang stressed that nuclear inspections should be carried on and the issue should be resolved by peaceful means.
The international community does have a consensus on the Iraq issue, Jiang said, adding that Iraq must comprehensively, strictly and thoroughly carry out the UN Security Council's resolution and cannot possess weapons of mass destruction.
Great efforts should be made to maintain the unity and authority of the UN Security Council and implement the Resolution 1441 well, he said, adding it is the foundation for resolving the Iraq issue.
The Chinese and US leaders agreed that the two countries should strengthen contact and cooperation, properly handle the issues they care about, and promote the stable development of bilateral relations.
President Jiang Zemin also got a phone call from German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder Monday evening, and they discussed the Iraq issue.
Schroeder said the two UN agencies in charge of weapons inspections submitted new reports on the inspections several days ago, which indicated progress has been made and Iraq has shown its willingness to cooperate.
The German leader said Germany believes the inspections should be continued.
Jiang said he has been paying close attention to the development of the Iraq situation in the last few days, noting that at the UN Security Council meeting on March 7, most member countries and the two UN agencies agreed that the weapons inspections have made progress, Resolution 1441 has been effective, and the work should not be given up halfway.
Jiang stressed that most nations in the world call for a peaceful solution to the Iraq issue, and China will keep in contact with Germany during this crucial time.
(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2003)
