Extracts.
China Urges NATO to Consult Other Regions Before Taking Action.
NATO should consult with countries outside Europe before launching action
following the terrorist attacks in the United States, China's vice foreign
minister Wang Guangya said on Thursday.
Wang later also told reporters that China would not rule out assisting
military action if such operations were to be decided under a broader
framework, such as the United Nations.
"Any action taken will have its implications for other regions, so it's
better that consultation be conducted," said Wang, answering questions at a
press conference in Beijing on a separate issue.
"NATO is a regional military organisation within Europe, so if action is
taken beyond Europe, it will have implications. So that's why I think
consultation is needed," he said.
In a powerful message of solidarity with the US on Wednesday, the 19 NATO
members agreed the alliance would support any US response to the attacks
under the terms of Article Five of the Washington Treaty.
This states that an armed attack against any ally in Europe or North America
should be considered an attack against them all.
Wang said the decision on how to respond to the terrorist act -- already
described as the worst in recorded history -- should rather be taken in a
multilateral forum like the UN.
"Certainly the international community should take resolute actions against
international terrorism, but I think that this action should be taken within
the framework of international cooperation," he said.
"Therefore, personally I would prefer these things to be done through some
multilateral framework, such as a the United Nations Security Council," he
said.
Wang said Chinese assistance in military action taken against those who
perpetrated the terrorist attacks would depend on which form these actions
would eventually take.
"I think we will study the case when evidence is being presented. Our
attitude towards international cooperation against terrorism is positive,"
he told reporters. "It all depends on the final formula."
Thousands may have died after three hijacked US airliners slammed into the
twin towers of New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon military
headquarters near Washington D.C.
US authorities fear the death toll could even exceed that caused by the
Japanese attack December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which triggered
US entry into World War II.
NATO Decides to Back US Retaliation
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) cited a mutual defense clause
for the first time in its history Wednesday, paving the way for a possible
collective military retaliation against perpetrators of Tuesday's attacks on
the United States.
The North Atlantic Council, NATO's decision-making body, " agreed that if it
is determined that this attack was directed from abroad against the United
States, it shall be regarded as an action covered by Article 5 of the
Washington Treaty, which states that an armed attack against one or more of
the allies in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against
them all," NATO Secretary-General George Robertson read a statement at a
news conference in the alliance's Brussels headquarters.
The clause of NATO's founding treaty commits each of the 19 member countries
to take "such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed
force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area."
Asked whether this meant NATO would take joint action to support American
retaliation, Robertson said: "The country attacked has to make the
decisions, it has to be the one that asks for help. ... The U.S. is still
assessing the evidence available. They are the ones to make that judgment."
It was the first time this solidarity principle has been invoked in the
history of the alliance, which was set up in 1949. This principle dates to
the NATO's founding, but has never been invoked.
Originally intended to be applied in case of a Cold War attack, Robertson
said the principle "is no less valid" today.
****
WTO Working Party Meeting on China's Access to WTO Postponed.
The Working Party on China's access to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
suspended its ongoing informal meeting which started Tuesday in Geneva and
rescheduled its working agenda due to the terrorist attack on the United
States Tuesday.
It is learnt that American negotiators said that they cannot concentrate on
their work because of the series tragedies happened in their country.
Spokesperson for WTO Keith Rockwell said that the informal meeting of the
working party will be postponed to this Friday and formal meeting is
rescheduled on next Monday.
The working party held a very short temporary meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Luis Girard, chairman of the working party, denounced the terrorist attack
on the United States and expressed deep condolence to American people at the
meeting.
The ongoing 18th working party session, which is originally scheduled from
September 11 to 13, is expected to go through all the documents including
the China's working party report, the Protocol on China's access to WTO and
its annex.
Whether this session will be the last meeting of the working party and
approve China's 14-year bidding for WTO membership will depend on the result
of the negotiation on insurance issue between China, U.S. and EU, according
to experts from the working party.
****
Int'l Forum on China and World in 21st Century Concludes.
"The International Forum -- China and World in the 21st Century", sponsored
by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), concluded
Wednesday in Beijing.
During the three-day forum, more than 200 foreign former state leaders,
renowned scholars and delegates exchanged views on major issues, such as the
development of the international situation, opportunities and challenges
China is facing, and China's influence on the world, in the 21st century.
Chinese vice-premier Qian Qichen delivered a keynote speech at the opening
ceremony of the forum, briefing participants on China' s domestic and
foreign policies in the 21st century.
"The three major tasks for the Chinese people in the new century are to
continue to promote the modernization drive, accomplish the reunification
cause, and maintain world peace and promote common development," he said.
The forum was presided over by Mei Zhaorong, president of the CPIFA.
****
DPRK Reaffirms Resolving Inter-Korean Issues Independently.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reaffirmed that the issue
of the north- south relations should be resolved independently by the two
sides, a spokesman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the
Fatherland of the DPRK said Thursday in Pyangyong.
The spokesman said in a statement that the fifth round of inter-Korean
ministerial talks will be resumed in Seoul on September 15-18, six months
after they stalled in March. This is entirely ascribable to the initiative
taken by the DPRK to solve the issue of the north-South relations
independently by the efforts of the Korean nation according to the historic
June 15 north-south joint declaration.
The spokesman stressed that if outside interference in the Korean national
issue is allowed, the inter-Korean relations in the process of favorable
development will be frozen and deteriorate overnight. It is also a lesson
taught by the long history of national division and its review. That is why
the first point of the June 15 north-south joint declaration calls for
settling the issue of the country's reunification independently.
Whether the overall inter-Korean relations including the north- south
ministerial talks develop smoothly or not depends entirely on how the south
side respects the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration and maintains an
independent stand, the spokesman, noted.
The outside forces should no longer stand in the way of the development of
the inter-Korean relations and the country's reunification in collusion with
the anti-reunification forces in South Korea, the spokesman added.
****
Premier Zhu Rongji Meets With Kazakh Parliament Leaders.
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji held talks Thursday with the chairman of the
Kazakh senate, Oralbai Abdykarimov, and the chairman of mazhlis, the Kazakh
lower house, Zharmakhan Ayatbayevich Tuyakbayev, respectively in
Kazakhstan's capital of Astana.
During his meetings with the two Kazakh parliament leaders, the Chinese
premier paid high tribute to the achievements made by the Kazakh people
during the past 10 years, saying a Kazakhstan playing a positive role in
regional and international affairs has appeared before the world. This year
is the 10th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence.
Bilateral exchanges and cooperation between China and Kazakhstan have
broadened and remarkable progress has been made in diverse fields, said
Premier Zhu when speaking of relations between the two nations.
Premier Zhu and Kazakh Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Kemelevich Tokayev
exchanged views on bilateral relations, especially bilateral economic and
trade relations, during their meeting, said the Chinese leader, adding that
both sides were satisfied with the current relations and agreed relations
between the two nation have huge potential and bright prospects.
The Chinese government is ready to push forward its relations with the
Kazakh government to a new level in the spirits of friendship, pragmatism
and obedience to the overall situation, said Premier Zhu.
The Chinese premier spoke highly of the exchanges between the two nations'
parliaments and invited Kazakhstan's parliament members to visit China,
saying more exchanges will promote mutual understanding and further
development of bilateral relations.
China has scored outstanding success in its economic construction and played
a more and more important role in Asia and the world, said Chairman
Abdykarimov, adding that relationship with China is an important issue in
Kazakhstan's foreign affairs.
Abdykarimov said people of all walks of life in Kazakhstan are satisfied
with relations with China, and the Kazakh parliament will continue friendly
exchanges with China so as to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
There's no obstacle impeding bilateral relations and cooperation in all
fields including politics, culture, trade and economy, said Tuyakbayev,
assuring all agreements signed during Premier Zhu's visit will be soon
passed in the Kazakh parliament.
Kazakhstan is the last leg of Zhu's four-nation tour, which has taken him to
Ireland, Belgium and Russia.
****
New Incursions Intended to "Root out Terror": Israeli Army
Israel <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/israel.html> 's new military
incursions into self-ruled Palestinian territories of Jericho and Jenin were
intended to "root out terror," the Israeli army said Thursday.
The army made the statement after Israeli tanks and dozens of bulldozers
rolled into the West Bank cities of Jericho and Jenin early Thursday
morning, destroying several Palestinian buildings and inducing exchange of
fire with Palestinian gunmen.
In the northern West Bank city of Jenin, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
destroyed the rest of a Palestinian police station compound the IDF attacked
the day before, and then pulled out of the city, according to the statement.
Local Palestinians said that the IDF tanks shelled some Palestinian houses
in the city and fired machine guns, killing at least three Palestinians and
wounding nine others.
In Jericho, which is situated just north of the Dead Sea, the IDF tanks
pounded two Palestinian buildings, wounding nine Palestinians.
The Israeli military had information that Palestinian militants in Jericho
were preparing attacks against Israelis, the statement said, but gave no
details.
Also on Thursday morning, the IDF destroyed Palestinian positions in the
West Bank cities of Qalqiliya and Salfit. The attacks came in response to a
Palestinian shooting ambush late Wednesday, in which an Israeli woman was
killed, Israeli army said.
****
Senior Party Official Meets Vietnamese Guest.
-Wei Jianxing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of
the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, met here Thursday with Nguyen
Van Son, chairman of the Commission for External Relations of the Vietnamese
Communist Party Central Committee.
Wei said that both China and Vietnam are facing precious opportunities for
development and challenges in their socialist cause, and both Parties and
countries should strengthen multifaceted cooperation and exchanges.
Son said that the recent visits to Vietnam by Vice-President Hu Jintao in
April and the National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Li Peng
last week are landmark, signifying Vietnam-China relations have entered a
new era.
****
Vice-President Meets Lao Guest.
-Hu Jintao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the
Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice-president of China, met
Thursday with Onechanh Thammavong, member of the Lao People's Revolutionary
Party Central Committee and vice-chairman of the Lao National Assembly.
Hu said that China and Laos are neighbors that have a long-time friendship,
and frequent high level visits between the countries have boosted the
development of bilateral relations.
Both countries are adhering to socialism and the policies of reform and
opening up, or renovation and opening up, thus exchanges and cooperation
between the Parties and the countries are conducive to the Party building
and construction cause of both countries, Hu said.
Onechanh said that China has always lent a helping hand to the Lao people in
their revolutionary times and construction cause, and the Lao Party and
government attach great importance to the development of relations with
China.
She said that what her delegation members have seen in China is greatly
encouraging for the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Lao people.
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