China's Middle East journey via Jerusalem

[donsu]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IA13Ak02.html


Two prominent leaders of the Middle East headed abroad last weekend, canvassing support from the international community. Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad went on a tour of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Ecuador, the "red rain land" of Latin America, while Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert headed for China.

By coincidence, on Wednesday, while Ahmadinejad was being received in Managua by the charismatic Marxist revolutionary Daniel Ortega at his inauguration as the democratically elected president of Nicaragua, Olmert was received with state honors in Beijing. Nothing can bring home as vividly the complexities of the emerging "multipolar" world order.

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But that is small comfort for Ahmadinejad's goodwill mission. Any axis between Islamists and the left cannot seriously change the "co-relation of forces" in the Middle East. What is obvious, though, is that Olmert's visit to Beijing holds deep implications for the security of the region. The Chinese leadership in discussions with Olmert has come down rather sharply on the Iranian stance in the impasse over Tehran's nuclear program.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao openly rebuffed Tehran's claim that the United Nations Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on Iran was a mere "piece of paper". Wen said, "Resolution 1737 adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council members reflects the concerns of the international community about the Iranian nuclear issue."

Olmert couldn't hide how pleased he was to hear the Chinese position. First, his mission to China was the final leg of his tour of the UN "permanent five" capitals (after London, Paris, Moscow and Washington) with a view to ratcheting up international pressure on Iran. He told the media in Beijing that he heard "many surprising and positive things" from Wen on the Iran nuclear issue, and that Wen "made it absolutely clear" Beijing opposed "an Iran with a nuclear bomb".

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In recent months, the US has supplied guns, ammunition and training to Palestinian Fatah fighters to take on Hamas, which enjoys Iran's backing. Huge quantities of arms and ammunition from Jordan and Egypt are pouring into Gaza and the West Bank via Israel for the use of Fatah cadres.

Against this background of gathering storms, Olmert was given a red-carpet welcome in Beijing with full military honors at the Great Hall of the People facing Tiananmen Square. During the banquet in Olmert's honor, the band played "Jerusalem of Gold". Aides accompanying Olmert recalled with excitement that there used to be a time when Chinese diplomats wouldn't say the word "Jerusalem" in deference to Palestinian sensitivity.
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