Call for greater support for Syrian stability

The United Nations Security Council held a briefing on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria on Wednesday. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya briefed on the country's political and humanitarian developments respectively.

At this critical juncture, it is important for the international community to provide constructive assistance to Syria. The Syrian people, who have long been mired in sufferings and hardships caused by war and chaos, are longing for a return of peace and stability in their country, so that they can start a life of tranquility and dignity as soon as possible.

That explains why the top UN security body held the briefing about one month after a briefing on the Middle East country that has remained at a crossroad nearly three months after the former Bashar al-Assad government was toppled by different forces. As the briefings of Pedersen and Msuya indicate, the current humanitarian situation in Syria is extremely dire. It is worrying to see that the survival and development of tens of millions of people are at stake.

The following consultations among representatives of the UN Security Council members show some common understandings of the international community on the future of Syria, which are largely reflected by the remarks of the Chinese Ambassador to the UN Fu Cong at the briefing.

Fu emphasized that the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria should be respected under all circumstances and called on the international community to increase its humanitarian assistance to the country.

Although US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, in her remarks at the briefing also highlighted the need for "an inclusive transition in Syria", the United States should, as Fu said, realize that its illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria have caused great harm to the Syrian people.

China's position on this is consistent. Such measures should not have existed in the first place. In order to meet the needs of humanitarian assistance and promote the development of Syria, it is necessary to take actions to eliminate the negative impact of these measures.

Also the US should stop indulging its ally, Israel, to take advantage of the domestic turmoil of Syria to try and grab land from its neighbor.

As Fu stressed, the resolution of the Security Council on the Golan Heights must be implemented. So must the 1974 disengagement of forces agreement. China urges Israel to withdraw from Syrian territory without delay.

China supports the promotion of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, and the achievement of a solution that meets the aspirations of all Syrian people through inclusive dialogue and consultations.

Resolution 2254 of the UN Security Council represents the basic consensus within the international community, and provides important guidance for addressing the Syrian issue. It remains valid in terms of the current situation. The holding of a national dialogue is a key step in the political transition, for which a clear timetable should be set as soon as possible and implemented steadily.

China supports the United Nations and the special envoy to play an active role in this process, as well as the efforts of the Arab League to help Syria in its political transition and reconstruction.