From our archives

June 11, 1984

Iran, Iraq not to attack civilian areas

Iran and Iraq said yesterday that they had agreed to UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar's request to stop attacking each other's civilian areas.

Teheran Radio quoted Iranian President Ali Khamenei as having said that Iran was prepared to stop such attacks "on the understanding that the Iraqi regime must completely abandon its criminal acts of bombing Iranian towns".

In Baghdad, official Iraqi news agency INA later said Iraq's Revolution Command Council had instructed the foreign ministry to accept de Cuellar's proposal.

Go for Olympic medals, athletes told

Sports Minister Li Menghua has urged Chinese Olympic competitors to do their best to win medals at the 23rd Summer Olympic Games.

Speaking at a meeting of sportsmen, coaches and officials, Li, who will head the country's delegation to the Olympics next month, said Chinese competitors, who will attend the Games for the first time in more than 30 years, should learn from athletes of other countries and regions.

House buyers to get priority for loans

People buying homes will get priority in getting bank loans this year, according to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Housing loans will be issued in 77 big and medium-sized cities, including Shanghai, Shenyang, Harbin, Hangzhou, Wuhan and Chongqing, a bank official said. Buyers with savings deposits equal to one-third of the price of their house will be eligible for loans to cover two-thirds.

Loans for building, repairing and expanding private houses and for buying durable consumer goods will continue.

(China Daily 06/11/2009 page9)