The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) on Thursday hailed the Chinese government's efforts to maintain the world's peace and stability, especially its role over the issue of the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

During his talks with visiting China's special representative for Darfur Liu Guijin, AL Assistant Secretary General Ahmed Ben Hali expressed the AL's appreciation of the Chinese efforts to push for a comprehensive solution to the Darfur issue.

Hali welcomed the latest positive development after a joint statement was issued on June 12 in Addis Ababa of Ethiopia by the African Union (AU), UN and Sudan on the deployment of a hybrid AU- UN peacekeeping force of between 17,000 to 19,000 troops in Darfur.

Hali noted that the international community should encourage the Sudanese government for its positive attitude in solving the Darfur issue, establish mutual trust and push for the political process and solution as well as the comprehensive implementation of the deployment of the hybrid force.

The deployment is the final part of a three-phase support plan, also known as the Annan plan, since it was drawn up by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, with a view of ending armed conflicts in Darfur.

The Sudanese government has been accused by the United States of delaying the deployment of the hybrid force. But Khartoum strongly requested that the joint force be predominantly African.

Hali stressed that sanction or pressure was no good to the solution of the Darfur issue, adding that the AL exerted unremitting efforts to seek a final solution to the issue and would like to strengthen coordination and communication with the Chinese side.

For his part, Liu thanked the AL efforts to promote the Sino- Arab friendship during the past years, while noting the unique role of the AL on the Darfur issue.

He asserted that China and the AL have identical views on the Darfur issue, calling for a political solution, rejecting more pressure on the Sudanese government and supporting to promote the peacekeeping efforts and the political process in Darfur evenhandedly and further improve the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur.

The Chinese envoy also expressed China's willingness to work together with the AL to push for the early and final solution of the Darfur issue.

Liu, who arrived here on Wednesday, is currently on a several- day visit to Africa, which already took him to South Africa and Ethiopia before Egypt. Liu is scheduled to leave here for Sudan on Friday.

Source: Xinhua