On October 31, 2005, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing attended the Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Lebanon Issue at the UN Security in the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. The meeting adopted Resolution 1636 of the Security Council with 15 favorable votes, demanding the International Independent Investigation Committee to further probe into the killing of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and urging related parties to enhance cooperation with the committee.

Li delivered in a speech at the meeting to appreciate the efforts made by the committee in probing into the truth of the killing of Hariri, saying China gives priority to the issues of the committee's report and hoping to see continued open and just investigation by the committee. The Security Council has the responsibility to urge related parties to provide comprehensive, full and serious cooperation for the committee in line with Resolution 1595 of the Security Council.

Li stressed considering the report of the committee is merely an initial one and there has been no final conclusion, it is not appropriate for the Security Council to pre-judge the result and threaten to impose sanctions. It will not be conducive to resolving the issue as well and will create new uncertainties to the already complex situation in the Middle East. China has been consistently insisting that we should not use sanctions or threaten to impose sanctions indiscreetly. Sanctions can only be executed by the Security Council in light of the real situation.

Li noted various elements have mixed up in the complicated situation in the Middle East. The Security Council should take into full consideration the peculiarity and complexity of the region and respect the sovereignty of different countries and the willingness of their people so as to avoid new tensions and turbulences in the regional situation.

During the meeting Li also met with the Foreign Ministers of the other four permanent members of Security Council collectively and the Foreign Ministers of the United States, Russia, France, United Kingdom, Algeria and Syria respectively to exchange views with them on bilateral relations, the Lebanon issue and other international and regional issues of common interest.