Extracts.
Thursday, November 30, 2000, updated at 08:56(GMT+8)
China Calls for End to Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
China called November 29 for an end to the current
conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, and
voiced support for all positive efforts by the
international community to promote the Middle East
peace process.
The statement was contained in the speech by Wang
Yingfan, the Chinese permanent representative to the
United Nations, at a public General Assembly meeting
on the Palestinian question.
"For the time being, it is of the utmost importance
to stop the violence between Palestine and Israel,"
Wang said. "We support all positive efforts made by
countries concerned and (UN) Secretary-General Kofi
Annan."
"The Chinese government will continue its
contribution to cessation of the violence in and the
peace process of the Middle East," he said.
"Facts have fully shown that the question of
Palestine is at the core of the Middle East issue,"
he said. "Without a thorough solution of the
Palestinian question, there is no way to root out
violence in the Middle East."
"Violence will only serve to deepen mutual hatred,
while negotiation and dialogue will bring hope and
peace," he said.
"To achieve the political solution of the Palestinian
question through negotiation and dialogue will not
only conform to the fundamental interests of the
people of all countries in the Middle East, but also
conduce to peace and stability in the region and in
the whole world," he said.
"We believe, the legitimate national rights of the
Palestinian people, including their right to
establish the Palestinian statehood, should be
restored and the international community has the
responsibility to render necessary help to them in
this regard, " he said.
China supports the Middle East peace process and has
always maintained that the Security Council
Resolutions 242 and 338 on the Middle East issue as
well as the principle of "land for peace" constitute
the basis for Middle East peace process, he said.
"Both the Arab side and the Israeli side should try
to solve their differences through earnest and
practical negotiations and move forward the peace
process on the basis of the implementation of
existing agreements between them," he said.
"We firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian
people to restore their legitimate national rights
and oppose Israel's easy resort to force or threat of
use of force and its practice of bullying the weaker
and smaller," he said.
****
Thursday, November 30, 2000, updated at 08:56(GMT+8)
Rally Staged in Syria to Support Palestinians
Large numbers of Palestinian refugees and Syrians
staged a rally Wednesday, Novemer 29, to show
solidarity with the Palestinians who have lost over
280 lives in the ongoing clashes with Israeli forces.
The demonstration was organized on the occasion of
the 53rd anniversary of Palestine Partition and
involved members of different Palestinian forces and
Syrian non-government organizations and trade unions.
The protesters chanted slogans against the Partition
Resolution adopted by the United Nations on November
29, 1947, which gave 57 percent of Palestine's
territory to the Jews.
They raised Palestinian and Syrian national flags and
placards of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Al
Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
Israeli right-winger Ariel Sharon's visit to the
mosque on September 28 sparked the current
Palestinian-Israeli clashes and the Palestinians
called their defiance against Israeli forces "Al Aqsa
Intifada (uprising)."
The demonstrators also carried banners voicing their
adherence to their legitimate rights and their
support for the "valiant uprising."
Some of the banners said "No Peace without Return of
Palestinian Refugees to Their Homes" and "Israeli War
Criminals Must Be Tried."
At the Martyr Cemetery, the protesters burnt Israeli
and US flags and an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Barak. They also paid tribute to the Palestinian
martyrs.
Chairman of Syrian Trade Union Federation Ahmed Ido
addressed the rally, condemning Israel's atrocities
against the Palestinian unarmed people.
Ido urged the U.N. Security Council and other
international organizations to pressure Israel to
stop its aggression against the Palestinian people.
****
Thursday, November 30, 2000, updated at 09:16(GMT+8)
Senior CPC Official Meets Chilean Delegation
Li Tieying, a member of the Political Bureau of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met
November 29 with a delegation from the Chilean Party
for Democracy led by its President Guido Lavin.
The CPC and the Chilean Party for Democracy
established formal links in 1995, and since then,
they have had constant exchanges.
During the meeting, Li, also president of the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences, had a cordial
conversation with the delegation members, who are in
Beijing at the invitation of the CPC.
The purpose of the delegation's China tour is to
further strengthen friendly relations between the two
parties, and learn more about China's reform and
opening-up and exchange views on how to strengthen
the party building and improve government's
administration.
In addition to Beijing, the Chilean guests will also
travel to Xi'an and Shanghai.
****
DPRK Criticizes South Korea for Violating Agreement Representative of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday criticized South Korea
for violating an agreement on easing military tension, the Rodong Sinmun
daily reported on Wednesday, November 29.
During the first round of inter-Korean military talks, Yu Yong Chol, who is
leading the DPRK's delegation, said the South has not seriously implemented
the joint declaration, which was announced on June 15 and aimed at easing
military tension and achieving lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the
daily reported.
The last joint military exercise, staged by South Korea and stationed US
forces together from October 25 to November 3, is spoiling the atmosphere
for talks, Yu said.
Two fighter planes infiltrated into the North's territory on October 26,
and four battleships intruded into the territorial waters on November 14,
according to Yu.
It is necessary for both sides to abide by the joint declaration and to
refrain from resorting to any military action aggravating the situation on
the peninsula, Yu said, adding that the parties should settle military
issues through cooperation and talks.
During the first round of talks in the truce village of Panmunjom Tuesday
afternoon, representatives discussed the reconstruction of the inter-Korean
railway and highway in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
More Inter-Korean Military Talks
South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed
November 28 to more military-level talks for reconstruction of inter-Korean
railway and highway in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The agreement was reached at the first round of inter-Korean working level
military talks which was held in the truce village of Panmunjom Tuesday
afternoon, according to South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Yoon
Il-young.
****
Palestinian Ambassador Applauds Russian Peace Proposals Palestinian
Ambassador to Russia Khairi Al Oridi Wednesday appreciated Russia's new
proposals for the settlement of the Mideast conflict as "an idea on which
further agreements might be based."
The proposals, raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his
meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat last Friday, envision three
stages of settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, said Al Oridi.
"At the initial stage," Oridi said, "the situation there must be calmed
down and international observers must be sent to the conflict zone."
At the second stage, he said, "Israeli armed forces should be peacefully
removed from the Palestinian territories and the blockade should be lifted
from these territories."
And at the third stage, the ambassador added, "after the US finally decide
who will be its president, talks should be started on a final settlement of
the Palestinian-Israeli problem."
He also stressed the significance of setting a definite deadline for
signing a final agreement between Palestine and Israel.
The ambassador believed this initiative is not a thing of the past although
the Israeli side has not yet accepted it.
The Putin-Arafat summit is the latest of a string of Russia's diplomatic
efforts to help end the renewed violence between the Palestinians and
Israeli forces on the occupied territory. Recently, Russia has been rather
active in playing its role as a co-sponsor of the Middle East peace talks,
in a bid to restore its influence in the region.
****
Corrupt Officials from East China Punished Xiao Zuoxin, former mayor of
Fuyang City, east China's Anhui Province, and his wife Zhou Jimei were
sentenced to life imprisonment and death with a two-year probation period,
respectively, Wednesday for various crimes.
The ruling was handed down today by the Intermediate People's Court of
Hefei, capital of Anhui.
Court investigations found that when he was at the leading posts of the
Party committee of Fuyang Prefecture, the Party committee and the
government of Fuyang City, Xiao abused his power and he and his wife
jointly accepted bribes exceeding 1.1 million yuan and 50,000 Hong Kong
dollars in cash, and a gold bracelet.
Xiao also accepted 14,879.5 yuan and US$2,000 and Zhou accepted 4,133.1
yuan in bribes separately.
When Zhou was a leading official with the social security bureau of Fuyang
City, she took advantage of her position and embezzled more than 4.3
million yuan from the sales of public housing. She also disposed of the
books and illegally speculated the land use rights by violating regulations
regarding land administration, acquiring more than one million yuan in
profits.
According to Wednesday's 37-page court verdict, Xiao Zuoxin was found
guilty of accepting bribes and being unable to verify the source of his
property. Besides life imprisonment, Xiao is to be deprived of his
political rights and be stripped of all his personal wealth.
Xiao's wife Zhou Jimei was found guilty of four crimes: embezzlement,
accepting bribes, illegally trading in land use rights, and being unable to
identify the source of her property. She was fined 103,995 yuan, was
deprived of her political rights and was also stripped of all her personal
belongings, in addition to being given a death sentence with a two-year
probation period.
The couple's illegal belongings of over 19 million yuan, US$133, 880 and
16,243 Hong Kong dollars should be retrieved, said the verdict.
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