>An extract. > > > >China, Iceland agree to further strengthen bilateral ties (09/3/2000) China >and Iceland agreed in Reykjavik on Saturday to step up efforts to further >develop bilateral relations in such fields as economy, trade and culture, and >cooperation in international affairs. The agreement was reached when visiting >top Chinese legislator Li Peng met separately with Icelandic President Olafur >Ragnar Grimsson and Prime Minister David Oddsson, shortly after his arrival >here on a four-day official visit. During his meeting with President Grimsson, >Li Peng, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress >(NPC) of China, said that although China and Iceland are located far apart >geographically, the two countries share a great deal of common interests in >safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. The two countries >also hold identical and similar views on many important international issues, >he noted. He said China attaches great importance to developing cooperative >relations with Iceland and is willing to further promote its cooperation with >Iceland in every possible area. The top Chinese legislator also expressed his >hope that his current visit would help push forward relations between the >legislative bodies of the two countries. Grimsson agreed with Li's comment on >the development of relations between the two countries. He said that the >friendly relationship between Iceland and China is an outstanding example of >equal and mutually-beneficial cooperation between countries of different size. >China has always been upholding the principle that all countries, regardless >of their size, are equal members of the international community, Li said, >adding that he reiterated this principle at the just-concluded millennium >summit of the presiding officers of national parliaments at the United Nations >Headquarters in New York. And parliamentary leaders from many countries agreed >with the points China advocated at the summit, Li said. At a separate meeting >with Icelandic Prime Minister Oddsson, Li said he was deeply impressed by the >achievements Iceland has made in its economic and scientific and technological >development. These achievements prove once again that every country can surely >succeed in its national development, so long as the people of the country >choose the path of development, or the model of economic development, >according to the specific conditions of the country, the Chinese leader said. >Oddsson said he hoped Iceland and China would continue to double their efforts >to further develop friendly cooperation in every possible field. He noted that >although there are some differences between the two countries, the development >of bilateral cooperation is not adversely affected by them. Like President >Grimsson, the prime minister also highly appreciated China's stance that all >countries around the world should be equal members of the international >community regardless of their difference in size. (Xinhua) _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________
