The Middle East issue including the Palestine-Israel conflict should be settled through political negotiations, Premier Wen Jiabao told visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Beijing on Monday.

 

The international community should urge all the parties concerned to implement relevant United Nations resolutions and reach a comprehensive and fair settlement under the principle of "land for peace," Wen said during a meeting with Mubarak.

 

China and Egypt have become closely cooperative partners over the past half century since Egypt, leading other African and Arabian countries, forged diplomatic ties with China 50 years ago, Wen said.

 

The premier said the two countries should actively strive for the goals set in the outline the two countries signed for deepening strategic and cooperative relations when he visited Egypt earlier this year.

 

The two countries should coordinate to promote South-South cooperation and South-North dialogue, and push forward multilateralism and democracy of international relations, Wen said.

 

Mubarak said his nation appreciates China's support in the justice cause of the Arabian people and its active role in pushing forward the peaceful process of the Middle East.

 

The president arrived in Beijing on Friday to pay a state visit to China and to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which concluded on Sunday.

 

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen visited Egypt in January 2004 and in June 2006 respectively. Bilateral trade hit US$2.145 billion in 2005.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2006)