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Disarmament DocumentationBack to Disarmament Documentation China-Russia Communiqués on Iraq and North Korea, February 27Communiqué on Iraq'Joint Communiqué of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China on the Iraq Question', issued in Beijing, February 27; Russian Foreign Ministry Document 470-27-02-2003, February 27. On February 27 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Tang Jiaxuan held an in-depth exchange of views on the Iraq question and reached a broad mutual understanding. The Sides expressed serious concern over the tensions around the Iraq question. The Sides favor a resolution of the Iraqi crisis by political and diplomatic means within the framework of the UN Resolution 1441, unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council on November 8, 2002, and the other relevant resolutions provide the necessary legal basis for that. Russia and China presume that inspection activities by UNMOVIC and IAEA play an important role in the matter of resolving the Iraqi question, have achieved definite progress and should proceed further. The UN Security Council should strengthen the guidance and support of inspection work. The Sides emphasized that Iraq should fully, strictly and undeviatingly comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and may not possess any weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles. Iraq should be fully aware of the importance and urgency of inspections. The Sides called upon Iraq to maximally build on cooperation with UNMOVIC and IAEA and to cooperate more broadly, actively and qualitatively with the inspectors, thus creating the necessary conditions for a political resolution of the Iraqi question. The Sides reiterate their firm resolve to continue to help a political resolution of the Iraq question in every possible way, and presume that a war can and should be avoided. The international community is everywhere demanding that all the measures should be taken for the maximum prevention of military actions. These aspirations should be respected. The Sides emphasized that the Security Council bears the main responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and should, guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, continue to play a central role in resolving the Iraqi problem. All member states of the UN must respect and protect the authority and powers of the UN Security Council. The Sides are determined to continue to maintain their close contacts and cooperation for the stimulation of a political resolution of the Iraqi question on the basis of the principles of the United Nations Charter. Communiqué on North Korea'Joint Communiqué of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China on the Situation in the Korean Peninsular', issued in Beijing, February 27; Russian Foreign Ministry Document 475-27-02-2003, February 27. On February 27 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Tang Jiaxuan expressed profound concern over the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Guided by their sincere desire to assist the strengthening of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, Russia and China call upon all concerned parties to exert the necessary efforts towards a peaceful and just resolution of the situation in the Korean Peninsula. The Sides emphasize that the ensuring of the denuclearized status of the Korean Peninsula, the observance there of the regime of nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the preservation in this region of peace, security and stability meet the common aspirations of the international community. The Sides note that a constructive and equal dialogue between the USA and the DPRK has a great significance for resolving the situation around the "North Korean nuclear problem" and normalizing American-North Korean relations. The Sides consider necessary the continuation of an active dialogue and the further development of cooperation between North and South Korea. This process constitutes a substantial contribution to improving the situation in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia as a whole. The Sides take into account the position stated by the DPRK on the absence of an intention to create nuclear weapons and the desire signified by the USA and the DPRK to resolve the problems by peaceful means. The Sides reiterate that Russia and China are ready to make every effort to facilitate the American-North Korean dialogue, as well as in a bilateral and multilateral format contribute actively to a political solution of the Korean nuclear problem and to the preservation of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Russia and China intend to continue to develop good-neighborly, friendly ties and cooperation with the DPRK and the Republic of Korea. © 2003 The Acronym Institute. |