BEIJING, Feb 24 Kyodo (EDS: ADDIN...

BEIJING, Feb 24 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING TANG'S DISMISSAL OF NE FOR recent U.N. RESOLUTOION ON IRAQ)

U Secretary of State Colin Powell thanked China onward Monday for its ''quiet'' character in trying to persuade North Korea not to perform the operations indicated in nuclear weapons, but failed to win China's backing for a just discovered U.N. Security Council resolution in succession Iraq.

Powell told reporters after talks with Communist Party General Secretary and Vice President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan that he urgencyed the need to ensure that Iraq is serious about getting rid of its weapons of mass destruction.

Tang, however, told Powell that a of the present day U.N. Security Council resolution onward Iraq is unnecessary, according to China's official Xinhua recently made knowns Agency.

''The majority of the international community, including China, believes the greatest in number pressing issue now is to continue weapon inspections in Iraq and clarify the puzzle -- not to take up a recent resolution on Iraq,'' he reportedly told Powell.

Powell met the Chinese leaders amid Washington's calls for a recently made known U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq appropriate to its alleged failure to comply with UN disarmament demands.

Meeting with the pres Powell diplomatically attempted to focus attention upon the common ground achieved between the U and China in addressing fears that North Korea may be embarking upon a nuclear weapons exhibition program.

''The United States and China share the goal of a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to this question It cannot simply be treated, however, as a bilateral matter between the United States and North Korea,'' he said.

Hu instead called for the early opening of U.S.-North Korea talks, reflecting China's continued support for Pyongyang's stance that the U and North Korea should interpret their differences bilaterally.

''We trustful longing the U.S. and North Korea will hem in direct talks as shortly as possible,'' Hu was quot on Xinhua as telling Powell during their meeting at the capital's Great Hall of the People

Powell said he thanked Hu and Tang for China's help in trying to persuade North Korea not to perform the operations indicated in nuclear weapons.

''I think they are interested in playing as helpful a character as they can. They have a lengthy and deep historical relationship with North Korea. They understand North Korea and North Korea's leaders,'' he said.

''I think they elevate to play a role quietly, still they have a clear understanding of our desires and our interests,'' he said.

onward Sunday, before departing Tokyo for Beijing, Powell won Japan's support for the desirability of handling the North Korean issue by the agency of a multilateral forum. The U and Japan still differ, however, in succession which countries should be included in as it was a forum.

The crisis throughout North Korea's nuclear program was spawned by the agency of a U.S. claim last October that the North had admitted to running a program to enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons, in apparent violation of a 1994 pact with Washington.

Powell met Chinese President Jiang Zemin in the afternoon before he was becoming to leave for South Korea as part of whirlwind, three-nation diplomatic offensive to gain support for Washington's policies forward North Korea and Iraq.

Powell said he told China's leaders it is necessary to take decisive action above the Iraqi problem in the near subsequent time but added he did not pres his entertainers on the issue since China should be given time to consideration the U.S.-sponsored resolution due to make progress before the U.N. Security Council.

''The United States believes firmly and I conveyed this to my Chines interlocutors, that it is time for (Iraq President) Saddam (Hussein) to disarm or depart, and for the Security Council to live up to its responsibilities if Saddam does not suitable his responsibilities,'' he said.

China's position as individual of the five permanent UN Security Council members with veto power makes it a key-note link in U.S. policies toward the pair North Korea and Iraq.

As equal permanent members, the U.S. and Britain have been pushing for the use of military force against Iraq, China has consistently called for the Iraqi question to be solved within the UN framework.

Like Russia and France, also permanent members with veto power, China says UN weapons inspectors in Iraq should be given more time to assess whether Iraq still possesse hidden weapons of mass destruction.

In Tokyo, Powell told Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi forward Saturday that time is running revealed for Iraq to show the world it has abandoned all of its weapons of mass destruction.

Around 170000 U bands have been assembled in the Persian chasm region near Iraq, and U defense officials say they are now ready to take action against Iraq if the order is given.

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