Chinese foreign minister concerned about shelling Russian diplomatic cars near Baghdad

Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing expressed deep concern about the shelling of the convoy of the Russian diplomatic cars near Baghdad. RIA Novosti was told about it in the information and press department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Russian diplomatic convoy came under fire on Sunday. Five people, including the Russian ambassador to Iraq, Vladimir Titorenko, were wounded. As the ministry's department reported, in yesterday's telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing expressed sympathy to the victims of this incident.

Igor Ivanov informed his Chinese counterpart of the latest contacts with representatives of France, Germany and the United States concerning the Iraqi problem. Both ministers pointed to the coincidence of Moscow's and Beijing's positions on all key questions of the situation around Iraq, underscored the need for the earliest cessation of the military operations, and pointed to the importance of ensuring the central role of the United Nations in the postwar settlement of the Iraqi problem.

The sides also discussed in detail the situation on the Korean Peninsula and came out for intensifying diplomatic efforts in favour of a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear problem through negotiations.

The ministers agreed to continue close co-ordination of the activity of the Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministries on all urgent subjects of international politics.

Chinese diplomatic sources told RIA Novosti that the Chinese Foreign Minister said that only the settlement of the Iraqi problem within the framework of the United Nations could meet the interests of regional peace and stability. Li Zhaoxing noted that the Iraq war had created a lot of serious problems. Therefore, the majority of international community members come out for its cessation. He also expressed concern about the humanitarian problem in Iraq and spoke of the necessity to take specific measures to alleviate the humanitarian disaster. The Chinese minister added that his country was ready to send additional aid to the Iraqi refugees.

Touching upon the nuclear problem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Li Zhaoxing said that it was necessary to turn the Korean Peninsula into a zone free from nuclear weapons and to preserve peace and stability in the region. He added that the use of peaceful means and the launch of a dialogue were the most important prerequisites for settling the problems of the Korean Peninsula.