Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Wednesday that China will, as always, stand firmly behind the United Nations in all its endeavors.

In a condolence message to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the car bomb explosion at UN headquarters in Iraq, Li said "I am shocked to learn the car bomb blast targeting the UN headquarters in Iraq, which caused heavy casualties, and I am especially distressed at the death of Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq Sergio Vieria de Mello."

"The Chinese Government strongly condemns this act of terrorist violence against UN staff," Li said.

He, on behalf of the Chinese Government as well as in his own name, extended the "deepest condolences" to the families of those victims and "most sincere sympathy" to the wounded.

"UN staff are emissaries of peace. They are performing a lofty mission in Iraq, which has won admiration and acclaim for the United Nations," Li said.

"It is the shared aspiration of the international community that peace and stability will quickly be restored to Iraq and that the country will soon embark on the road of reconstruction and development," the Chinese foreign minister said.

"The United Nations has made tremendous hard efforts to this end and, I am sure, will continue to play an important role. Mr. Vieria de Mello has made outstanding contribution to promoting the UN's role in helping the Iraqi people rebuild their homeland, which is widely respected by all parties," he said.

"The United Nations is where people of the whole world place their hope for peace and development. I am convinced that no terrorist or violent attacks will ever stop the UN's march forward," the Chinese foreign minister added.

A cement truck packed with explosives blew up in the UN headquarters in Baghdad Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 17 people, including UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello, and wounding more than 100 others.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2003)