President Jiang speaks again with Chirac
( 2001-09-21 11:51 ) (8 )

President Jiang Zemin has discussed a global campaign against terrorism with French President Jacques Chirac for the second time this week.

The two leaders spoke by telephone again on Thursday, two days after Jiang discussed last week's attacks on the United States in a flurry of calls with Chirac, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two sides again exchanged opinions on counter-terrorism and protecting world peace.

China and France share the view, as does Russia, that any decision on retaliation for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by hijacked passenger aircraft should involve the United Nations Security Council and abide by the United Nations Charter.

China, France, Russia, the United States and Britain wield vetoes as the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Putin and Chirac said in a telephone conversation on Thursday the Security Council should be at the centre of international efforts to battle terrorism, according to the Kremlin.

Chirac's office has said the call with Putin was one of several the French president made to world leaders on Thursday after becoming the first foreign leader to meet US President George W. Bush in Washington since the attacks.

Bush, in a speech to a joint session of the US Congress on Thursday, steeled America for a war on terrorism and vowed that justice would be done.