Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Cairo Sunday that China
encourages the parties concerned to resort to peaceful negotiation
to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.
"China maintains that we need to encourage the parties to resort
to peaceful negotiation as a main approach under the principle of
'land for peace' in an effort to solve the conflict and facilitate
regional peace and stability," Wen said.
He made the remarks at a press conference in the Egyptian
capital Cairo before winding up a two-day official visit to
Egypt.
"The conflict between the Palestinians and Israel is a flash
point in the Middle East. We maintain that the key to solve this
conflict is to follow relevant UN resolutions and the roadmap
plan," Wen said.
The roadmap peace plan, drafted by the International Quartet
comprising the United States, the European Union, Russia and the
United Nations, calls for an independent Palestinian state
alongside a safety Israel.
As for the disagreements among various Palestinian political
factions, Wen said that all Palestinian factions should calmly face
factional divergences and disputes, and reach internal
reconciliation, which would be conducive to the reconciliation
between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
Asked on the role that China would like to play in the region,
Wen said that China is hoping for a peaceful, stable and growing
Middle East and China wants to play a role to help promote peace
and facilitate the peace talks.
Anyhow China hoped that both the Palestinians and the Israelis
would live side by side peacefully and seek common development,
said Wen.
Wen arrived in Cairo on Saturday afternoon for the visit to
Egypt, the first leg of his seven-nation tour to Africa, which will
also take him to Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Angola, South
Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2006)