China reiterates support for roadmap peace plan

Visiting Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan reiterated Tuesday China's support to the roadmap peace plan for the Middle East, saying the Israelis and Palestinians should seize the opportunity to resolve disputes.

"China supports the Mideast roadmap peace plan, hopes both sides will fulfill their obligations and responsibilities under the map," Tang said during meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The roadmap envisions an independent Palestinian state by 2005, and requires Israel and the Palestinians to take a series of steps in the interim.

However, the peace plan, drafted by the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia, has never got off the ground since its launch in June 2003.

Tang said both the Israelis and the Palestinians should seize the current opportunity to resume peace talks and resolve bilateral disputes according to relative UN resolutions and the principle of "land for peace."

China, as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, is willing to play a constructive role in bringing peace into the region, the state councilor said.

He noted that Sino-Israeli ties are facing a good opportunity for further and rapid development, and continuously widening and deepening the friendly cooperation in various fields between the two countries is in line with both peoples' interests.

For his part, Sharon said Israeli government will try its best to strengthen the mutual-beneficial cooperation with China, since developing ties with such a decisive force in the world meets the interests of the Jewish state.

Tang, the former Chinese foreign minister, also met Israeli President Moshe Katsav on Tuesday and both sides exchanged opinions on the current regional situation.

Tang arrived in the region on Monday for a three-day visit. He met with Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei on Monday.