- (AFP) - Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri left Beijing,
an Iraqi diplomat said, ending a three-day trip during which he secured
vital Chinese opposition to US military action against Baghdad.
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- "He has left Beijing and is flying back to Baghdad,"
a diplomat at the Iraqi embassy in the Chinese capital told AFP.
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- During the visit, Sabri was told Beijing firmly opposed
US strikes, an important boost as Washington turns up the rhetorical heat
in arguing the necessity of unseating Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as soon
as possible.
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- Sabri met Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen and Foreign
Minister Tang Jiaxuan, as well as a series of foreign policy officials,
according to reports by China's state media.
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- On Wednesday, Qian reiterated China's long-standing position
that any disagreement between Iraq and the United States, which accuses
Saddam of harbouring weapons of mass destruction, must be resolved peacefully
through the United Nations.
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- In a clear message to Washington, Qian said Beijing was
"against any use of force or threats to use force", Chinese state
radio said.
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- "At the same time we hope that Iraq will strictly
abide by Security Council resolutions, make greater efforts to continue
cooperation with the United Nations and make sure that no new complications
arise," said Qian.
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- The vice premier had also warned that the growing crisis
over Iraq was creating instability in the Middle East.
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- "Recently the Iraqi issue has become more and more
worrying, bringing new instability to the region, which is of deep concern
to China," Qian was quoted as saying.
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- On Tuesday foreign minister Tang had taken the same line,
also arguing against the use of force.
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- Analysts said that while largely symbolic, the comments
were an important message to Washington from the Chinese leadership.
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- Under the terms which ended the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq is
obliged to cooperate with UN disarmament inspectors who are charged with
verifying that Baghdad no longer has the capacity to manufacture weapons
of mass destruction.
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- The US government is currently trying to build international
support for a possible military strike on Iraq, and has openly backed efforts
to remove Saddam.
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- China maintains close ties with Iraq, but also backs
US-led anti-terrorism efforts, a relationship cemented though an exchange
of mutual security-based concessions during the visit to Beijing earlier
this week of US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
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