'First step of long march'

08:09, September 03, 2010      
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Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said on Thursday China welcomed the resumption of peace talks between Palestinian and Israeli leaders.
"China hopes both parties will seize the opportunity and take a practical attitude to actively push forward the peace process and make progress as soon as possible," she told a regular news conference.
Li Guofu, director of the Center of Middle East Studies affiliated to the China Institute of International Studies, said it was a big step forward for Israelis and Palestinians to resume talks.
However, he said the peace process still faced severe challenges that ranged from Israeli settlements and terror attacks to the plight of refugees.
In terms of concrete results or expectations, the talks are more symbolic than substantial, he said.
Zhang Xiaodong, a Middle East expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the talks were a positive step as they would help defuse regional tension.
"But the resumption of the peace talks is only the first step of a long march," he said. "I believe that prospects for peace are still dim, and the talks may not bear fruit."
He called the peace process a test of patience, decision-making and foresight for leaders of both sides.
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