From the new World Media Watch up now at
http://www.zianet.com/insightanalyticalTomorrow at Buzzflash.com
1//The Jordan Times, Jordan Friday-Saturday, January 7-8, 2005
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews5.htm ‘CHINA READY TO TAKE ON MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN MIDEAST POLITICS’
By Mahmoud Al Abed
AMMAN — China is ready to take on a more active role in Middle East politics and enhance partnership with the region, including Jordan, Chinese Ambassador to Amman Luo Xingwu announced on Thursday.
At a press conference yesterday, the envoy said Beijing has put forward four-point initiative for peace in the Middle East.
The move was taken after Chinese Deputy Prime Minister and State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan's Dec.26-29 visit to Palestine and Israel, where he met senior officials from both sides.
In the initiative, China urges trust-building measures between the Palestinians and the Israelis, a halt to attacks against Israeli civilians, facilitation of smooth Palestinian elections and respect for the ensuing Palestinian government, the resumption of peace talks, and an improvement in the living conditions of the Palestinian people.
The ambassador announced that his country has decided to extend urgent assistance of $1.5 million, in addition to a $5 million grant to the Palestinians.
Luo told reporters that as the peace process moves forward, China will continue to contribute to Palestinian nation building by offering assistance and administrative expertise to the leadership and expects that stability in the conflict zone would attract Chinese investors to initiate projects in Palestine.
The Chinese peace initiative stresses the need to reactivate the roadmap that envisions an independent Palestinian state, and urges concerned parties to take simultaneous steps to implement the relevant UN resolutions, underlining its support for the principle of land for peace.
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