Following his talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in downtown Beirut Chinese Special Envoy to the Middle East Wu Sike said:
“China is very keen on developing its relations with Lebanon and is interested in its role in the Middle East issue. I was happy to meet with Prime Minister Hariri, and I conveyed to him sincere greetings and wishes from his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, who expressed China’s intention to strengthen cooperation with Lebanon in all fields.”
Wu was accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to Beirut Liu Zhiming.
He said this is his second visit to Lebanon since his appointment to the position of China’s Special Envoy to the Middle East over a year ago and stressed that Lebanon is an important country in the Middle East.
Wu Sike stressed that China supports a comprehensive and just solution to the Middle East problem , based on international legitimacy and the principle of “land for peace” and the “Arab peace initiative”.
He added that China also supports the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State. He also added : “We asked Israel to end its occupation of all Arab lands occupied since 1967, among which East Jerusalem. We support a comprehensive solution to the Middle East issue, including the issue of Lebanon and Syria, through negotiations.”
Earlier on Saturday , Wu Sike also met with Lebanese foreign minister Ali Shami. Shami said that Lebanon appreciated China’s resolute stance on supporting Arab countries’ just causes, and its great contributions to Middle East issues as a permanent UN Security Council member state. He said Lebanon hopes that China will play a more active role in Middle East peace process.
Wu Sike arrived in Lebanon on Saturday from Syria, and will fly to Saudi Arabia on Saturday evening. He kicked off his Middle East trip last Saturday in Israel.
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