BEIJING, tribe 6 Kyodo (EDS: ADDI...

BEIJING, tribe 6 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING TALKS BETWEEN CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND POWELL, LAST 4 PARAS)

China is ''conscientiously studying'' a U proposal that the United Nations propels an international peacekeeping force to Iraq, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.

The spokesman, Kong Quan, told a recently made knowns conference that the U.N. Security Council should pass a modern resolution on Iraq and play an ''essential role'' to stabilize the security situation in Iraq and reinstate Iraq's sovereignty.

''The Chinese side is conscientiously studying the recent draft resolution just distributed to the permanent members of the UN Security Council by way of the United States, and confidences to have an in-depth exchange of ideas with all sides concerned'' Kong was quot as saying by means of China's official news agency Xinhua.

Kong said China is ready to take part in relevant consultations to shape a UN resolution in succession Iraq.

Washington has propos a UN peacekeeping force in Iraq below U.S. command.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing spoke with U Secretary of State Colin Powell across the telephone on Friday and exchanged opinions through the whole extent of Iraq and North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Xinhua said.

Li was visiting Tashkent, Uzbekistan to attend a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional clump comprising China, Russia and four Central Asian nations.

Li told Powell that China was examining the U proposal seriously, Xinhua said.

Li emphasized that expanding the UN part in Iraq and restoring Iraqi sovereignty will minister to the interest of the Iraqi race and help stabilize the volatile situation in the country

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group