China and the United States yesterday said negotiations were still the best way to restore peace to the war-torn Darfur region in Sudan.

"China agrees to take an all-round and balanced approach to bring peace and stability to Darfur," State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan told the visiting US President's special envoy to Sudan Andrew Natsios.

Tang said China had always seen Darfur as an important issue and it didn't wish to see any conflict or war there.

"We actively back the international community's efforts to help the people in Darfur restore peace under the framework of the United Nations," Tang said.

Corroborating Tang, the US president's special envoy said negotiations were the best way to politically resolve the Darfur issue.

Natsios' China visit came after the Sudanese government's Antonov aircraft bombed two villages in Darfur on December 29.

Calling his four-day China visit "productive," Natsios said the United States would like to work with parties eager to seek a resolution to the Darfur issue.

Natsios said the US would like to maintain communication and cooperation with China on the Darfur issue.

Xinhua

(China Daily 01/12/2007 page2)