BEIJING, January 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin
on Saturday showed great concern about the deteriorating situation
in the Middle East and voiced support for Palestine's efforts to
salvage the peace process in the region.
In a letter in reply to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Jiang
said the Chinese government and people are sympathetic with the
difficult condition the Palestinian National Authority and its
people are facing, and that China appreciates Palestine's bid to
seek a cease-fire with Israel.
Jiang said China opposes Israel's implementation of such
measures as military strikes, economic blockade, impairing the
life of Palestinian civilians and damaging their property,
especially the act of confining the freedom of movement of Arafat.
China supports all efforts towards seeking a peaceful solution
to the current Mideast crisis and wishes the two sides could
practice restraint and take effective measures to get back to the
negotiation table, Jiang stressed.
China is willing, in cooperation with the international
community, to play its due role in easing the tension in the
Middle East, he added. Enditem
