On the evening of February 19, 2003, President Jiang Zemin held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin upon request, during which they exchanged views on the Iraqi issue.

Putin said that recent developments show that the UN weapons inspectors have made new achievements in Iraq and conditions for weapons inspections have improved. He said that the Iraqi should still be resolved by political means on the basis of the UN Security Council Resolution 1441 at the present stage, adding the international community should work together to avoid a war.

Jiang stressed the UN weapons inspections in Iraq have made new progress and should continue; Meanwhile, Iraq should implement the relevant UN resolution earnestly and comprehensively, and it should quickly and seriously deal with problems revealed during the weapons inspections. The international community should continue to make efforts to solve the Iraqi issue by political means within the UN framework,