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The Chinese government and people firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian and Arab people, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin at a meeting Monday morning with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The Chinese government and people firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian and Arab people, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin at a meeting Monday morning with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Jiang condemned Israel for its refusal to implement United Nations resolutions, its invasion of Palestinian-controled areas and restriction of the freedom of President Yasser Arafat, who is an old friend of the Chinese people. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China would continue to make efforts to realize a just and lasting peace in the Mideast, said Jiang. During the meeting, Hariri, who is on a three-day official visit to China as a guest of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, briefed Jiang on the Middle East situation. Sino-Lebanese Friendship to Further Sino-Lebanese friendship will be further developed in the new century with efforts from both sides, said Jiang. Jiang pointed to the fact that Lebanon is a country with a long history dating back to the ancient Phoenician civilization 4,000 years ago. Lebanon enjoyed fame in modern history as the trade, finance and tourism center of the Middle East, noted Jiang. In recent years, Jiang continued, the Lebanese people had scored great achievements in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, promoting national reconciliation and rebuilding its economy. He said he was convinced that the Lebanese government was bound to lead the Lebanese people to make greater achievements. Jiang said that Sino-Lebanese friendship dated back to ancient times with the ancient Silk Road as a link between the two peoples, although the two countries are far apart. He also mentioned Doctor Ma Haide (George Hatem), who came from Lebanon and contributed his life to promoting the Chinese people's health. The two countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties last year, and China was pleased with bilateral relations which have withstood the test of international changes and continuously developed in the past 30 years, pointed out Jiang. He referred to the constant high-level visits, increasing exchanges in various fields and sound cooperation in international affairs between the two sides in recent years. Hariri, who is here on a three-day official visit to China as a guest of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, talked about China's admirable economic progress since his last visit in 1996. He said the Lebanese people were grateful for China's consistent and firm support for the Lebanese and Arab people's just cause in the fight against invasion. He noted that Lebanon was satisfied with the smooth development of bilateral relations, pointing out that there was still vast potential for the rapid development of bilateral economic and trade exchanges and cooperation. The Lebanese side encouraged enterprises from both sides to strengthen cooperation so as to boost bilateral economic and trade cooperation of mutual benefit and push forward the overall development of bilateral relations. Premier Zhu Urges Israel to Withdraw Troops Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji expressed the Chinese government's deep anxiety about the Middle East situation, and made a strong request for Israel to unconditionally implement resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council and to withdraw its troops from Palestine-controled areas at the earliest possible date. **** . . Matter in Motion through Space and Time ... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] [Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] . . --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
