China will substantially forgive debt owed by Iraq and
also help with the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
That was the pledge made by President Hu Jintao when he
met his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani in Beijing yesterday.
No specific figure was available but Talabani was quoted
as saying ahead of the trip that he would like to have 8 billion U-S dollars in
debt cancelled.
Hu said China respects the rights and choices of the
Iraqi people, and will continue to support and participate in the reconstruction
of Iraq. The government will encourage domestic enterprises to invest in Iraq
and help with training of personnel.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said last month that China
will grant 50 million yuan (or 6.5 million dollars) to Iraq this year to help
with public health and education programs.
Hu lauded Talabani's visit - the first by an Iraqi
president since the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1958 - and
said the six-day trip shows that Iraq's new government "pays great attention to
relations with China".
Talabani said Iraq treasures the traditional friendship
between the two countries.
Baghdad welcomes Chinese firms to join other
international firms in bidding for oil-exploration contracts, and hopes to
revive a frozen oil deal after a domestic oil law is adopted, the Iraqi
ambassador to China said earlier.
He was referring to a 1997 deal struck by China National
Petroleum Corp to develop the billion-barrel Al Ah-dab field. The 1.2 billion
dollar contract was signed by the company and the government of former Iraqi
leader Saddam Hussein.
The company began renegotiating the Al Ah-dab deal in
October and the project could be reactivated if Iraq's parliament passes the
hotly debated oil law next month.
Hu and Talabani witnessed the signing of four agreements
covering foreign affairs, the economy, technology and education.
Talabani,
who is leading a 36-strong delegation representing six Iraqi ministries,
including finance, interior and oil, said the presence of key ministers signaled
Iraq's desire to boost relations.
"In Iraq, we look on the achievements of China as an
achievement for people seeking freedom and independence throughout the world,"
Talabani said.
The Iraqi leader, who was scheduled to meet with Premier
Wen Jiabao and top legislator Wu Bangguo, will also visit the ancient city of
Xi'an and Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.
(China Daily 06/21/2007 page 1)