China says ready to work with USA to promote settlement for Darfur
May 26, 2009 (BEIJING) — China and the United States of America on Tuesday decided to work with each other to promote the settlement of the Darfur conflict, an official news agency reported during the visit of a US envoy.
“The two sides have agreed to continue to maintain communication and exchange information on the Sudan (Darfur) issue in an effort to promote the settlement of the issue at an early date,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told a regular press briefing.
Ma made the remarks in reply to a question about the ongoing visit of US Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, stated the official Xinhua news agency.
Ahead of his visit to China the US envoy was scheduled to meet senior Chinese government officials, including the Chinese Representative for Darfur Liu Guijin, according to the US State Department. He arrived Monday and met with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi and Liu Guijin, the special representative of the Chinese Government for the Darfur issue.
The last US official to hold Gration’s post, Ambassador Richard Williamson, upon leaving office lashed out at Liu Guijin. He disclosed in January that he had attempted to launch a joint dialogue with US, UK, France and China for discussions on Sudan, but that Beijing showed no interest in such a mechanism.
Some US officials and activists have viewed China’s close military and economic relationship with Sudan as a potentially important factor in bringing the Darfur conflict to an end.
(ST)