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China is worried about the military concentration in the Gulf area, hoping the Iraq issue will be resolved through diplomatic and political means within the framework of the United Nations.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the remarks at a regular press conference in Beijing Thursday.
China looks favorably on the proposal by some countries to hold a meeting to discuss the Iraq issue, and China hopes the meeting will make progress to settle the Iraq issue, Zhang said.
China's special envoy to the Middle East Wang Shijie is also keeping close contacts with relevant parties, according to Zhang.
Taking a similar stance to France and Germany, China hopes to resolve the Iraq issue through diplomatic and political means, Zhang said when asked to comment on the two European nations' opposition to the use of force against Iraq.
"Any move taken by relevant countries should be conducive to resolving the Iraq issue through diplomatic and political means," Zhang said in response to a question that the Australian government is to send a transport carrier to the Mideast region.
Turkey has invited Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Iran to a meeting of foreign ministers in Istanbul on Thursday to seek a way out of the Iraqi crisis.
(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2003)
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