China's Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan warned Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres in a phone conversation on Sunday of disastrous consequences for the Middle East if Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was harmed, Xinhua reported.
The news agency quoted Tang as urging Israel to withdraw immediately from Palestinian territory.
The two sides should take concrete measures to end the conflict and work toward the resumption of peace talks, Xinhua quoted Tang as saying.
Peres had expressed Israel's willingness to make commitments to the international community that no danger would be brought to Arafat's personal safety and that the organization of the Palestinian Authority would not be destroyed, it said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
