The Chinese government has decided to provide 30 million yuan
(about $US3.6 million ) for urgent humanitarian aid to the interim
government of Afghanistan, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said
Thursday in Beijing.
Jiang announced the decision during his official talks with
visiting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
On
the Afghan issue, Jiang said that all sects in Afghanistan have
agreed to form an interim government with the assistance of the United Nations.
The establishment of the interim government, due to be officially
announced in two days, marked the beginning of Afghanistan's march
towards peace and stability after years of war, he said.
"China sincerely hopes all parties in Afghanistan will give
priority to the country's needs and to peace, firmly implementing
the agreement, and acting towards national reconciliation so as to
restore peace and tranquility to the country as soon as possible,"
he said.
The Chinese president said that the destiny of Afghanistan should
eventually be in the hands of the Afghan people. In the meantime,
any political solution to the Afghan issue should include the role
of the United Nations, he said.
As
an important neighboring state of Pakistan, Jiang said, China also
supports the active role played by Pakistan towards the peace
process in Afghanistan.
Jiang said that China has provided assistance to Afghanistan via
the UN over the past years. As the situation in the country returns
to normal, China will also participate in its post-war
reconstruction.
Musharraf agreed with Jiang's analysis on the current international
situation. He said that Pakistan was satisfied with the Bonn
agreement on the Afghan issue and hoped military operations in
Afghanistan be ended as soon as possible.
He
said that it is imperative to resolve the refugee problem and
ensure the interim government has full power. Only by doing this
can a balanced representation of different ethnic groups in the
transitional government work together for six months. And Pakistan
sincerely hoped Afghanistan achieve national reconciliation and
lasting peace, he added.
Meantime, China voiced its hope that the new UN Security Council
resolution will be conducive to peace and stability in the war-torn
Afghanistan.
Shen Guofang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United
Nations, made the statement just after the council unanimously
adopted a resolution to authorize the deployment of a multinational
force to help keep peace in the Afghan capital of Kabul.
"We support the resolution, and we hope that it will help promote
stability in Afghanistan," he said.
The draft resolution was put to vote after consensus was reached by
the five permanent members of the 15-nation council in the wake of
several rounds of consultations, he said.
The five permanent members, which have veto power on the council,
are China, Britain, France, Russia and the United States.
"During the consultations, we stressed that the purpose of the UN
Charter should be observed and the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Afghanistan be safeguarded," he said.
"We maintain that the Afghan problems should be solved ultimately
by Afghans themselves," he said, adding that the other UN organs
should also be involved in the reconstruction of Afghanistan once
the situation in the country is stabilized.
The Security Council Thursday voted 15-0 to authorize the
deployment of the multinational force to provide security,
initially just in the Kabul and the surrounding areas, with Britain
leading the peace-keeping troops.
The Security Council measure followed the agreement signed by four
Afghan factions in Bonn, Germany, on December 5 to establish an
interim government.
The Chinese government will send diplomats to attend a meeting on
rebuilding Afghanistan, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Zhang Qiyue Thursday afternoon at a regular press conference.
She said that a meeting on the rebuilding of Afghanistan will be
held from December 20 to 21 in Belgium. The Chinese government
attaches great importance to the meeting, and a delegation headed
by Wang Xuexian, an ambassador of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in
charge of Afghan affairs will attend the meeting.
Zhang said that the Afghan interim government will be established
with the joint efforts of all parties in Afghanistan, which is an
important step towards peace for this country.
She added that rebuilding Afghanistan will help guarantee the peace
process of the country, and the international community should make
an effort in this area.
The spokeswoman said that the Chinese and the Afghans have enjoyed
a long friendship, and China has provided assistance to Afghanistan
within its capabilities.
She promised that China would continue to offer Afghanistan
humanitarian assistance, and would take an active part in
rebuilding Afghanistan.
On
the peace-keeping operation in Afghanistan, Zhang said that the
United Nations Security Council is discussing a resolution to send
multi-national troops to Afghanistan. China supports this as it
will help safeguard the stability of the nation.
China will not join the multi-national troops, but will make its
own efforts to help Afghanistan finally achieve peace, she
added.
A
group of Chinese diplomats, led by senior official Zhang Min, on
Wednesday arrived at Bagram air base, about 50 kilometers north of
the Afghan capital of Kabul.
The advance group Thursday visited foreign ministry of the
newly-formed Afghan interim government and held talks with Afghan
Foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.
Abdullah welcomed the Chinese diplomats and expressed his
thankfulness to the Chinese government for its continuous support
in the Afghan post-war reconstruction and rehabilitation.
He
highly appreciated the historical friendship between the two
countries and hoped the relationship of the two countries could be
further developed.
Zhang Min recalled the history of the Sino-Afghan relationship,
saying that 2000 years ago, renowned Chinese traveler Zhang Qian
visited Bactria area where modern Afghanistan is located.
He
said China supports the newly-formed Afghan interim government and
will do its best to take an active part in the reconstruction of
Afghanistan as well as continue to provide humanitarian aid to
Afghan refugees.
(
December 21, 2001)