Home | China | World | Business Chirac, Annan Express Great Concern Over Middle East Situation MON, FEB 25, 2002     United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and French President Jacques Chirac expressed their "great concern" over the latest developments of the Middle East situation during a telephone conversation on Sunday evening. The French presidential palace announced that Annan and Chirac agreed that actions must be taken before the situation in the Middle East goes out of control, and the priority is for the parties engaged to return to the spirit of the peace process. On the eve of the visit of Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to France on Monday, Chirac discussed the 17-month Israeli-Palestinian crisis on phone with his Egyptian, Chinese and U.S. counterparts Hosni Mubarak, Jiang Zemin and George W. Bush. During their conversation on Sunday, Chirac and Annan also discussed the Afghan situation and the coming visit of leader of Afghan interim government Hamid Karzai, who will meet Chirac on Thursday. Editor:Zhong Source:Xinhua Recommend to your friend email:    China Central Television,All Rights Reserved