Chirac concerned over Israel not being serious about withdrawal from south Lebanon; China views

French President Jacques Chirac has expressed his concern over non-seriousness of the Israeli position towards withdrawal from south Lebanon.

The French president, who is taking part in the works of the Afro-European summit in Cairo, stressed in a press conference the importance of having an Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon realized in the framework of reaching peace agreements with both Syria and Lebanon so as to achieve a just and comprehensive peace for the benefit of the region as a whole.

The French president also stressed that his country will continue its efforts to achieve progress in the Middle East peace process.

Meanwhile, China has expressed its hope that sides concerned in the Middle East peace process will take a practical and flexible stand toward the UN resolutions concerned and the land-for-peace formula.

The spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday in a press conference that China will exert its efforts in its capacity as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to push the Middle East peace process forward.

The spokesman continued that Chinese President Jiang Zemin will visit Egypt later this month to hold talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on bilateral relations between the two countries, the Middle East peace process and other regional issues.