UN resolution on Ukraine only complicates situation

Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia (center) waits for a vote on the territorial integrity of Ukraine at the United Nations headquarters on Thursday. The General Assembly approved a resolution affirming Ukraine's territorial integrity. Niu Xiaolei / Xinhua

Special: Ukraine crisis

Pushing the United Nations General Assembly to vote on the draft resolution concerning the question of Ukraine will only "make the situation more complex", Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi said.

He made the remarks during the UN General Assembly on Thursday, which later adopted a resolution that said the referendum held in Crimea on March 16 had "no validity" and called on all states and international organizations not to recognize Crimea's alternate status.

The resolution, co-sponsored by countries, such as Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, Lithuania and Ukraine, received 100 votes in favor, 11 votes against and 58 abstentions. China chose abstention.

"We believe that the actions taken by the UN regarding the Ukraine issue should project the consensus of all parties, facilitate the easing of the situation and be conducive for a political settlement of the crisis," Liu said.

Yang Cheng, deputy director of the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said China has adopted a relatively objective and neutral strategy regarding this issue "because China has its own internal policy considerations and international duties and obligations".

"China is expected to exercise its smart power and seek an innovative engagement in the crisis," Yang said.

Meanwhile, the Thursday resolution affirms the UN's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and urges all parties to strive for a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis "through direct political dialogue".

The General Assembly resolution is not legally binding. Unlike in the UN Security Council, veto power does not apply in the General Assembly.

Recently, the spillover effect of the Ukraine crisis has been very evident and the existing conflicting situation of the relevant parties does not live up to China's hope, Liu said.

"The Ukraine issue involves the interests and concerns of various parties, and a settlement should be achieved with due consideration of balance."

All the relevant parties should exercise restraint, avoid aggravating the situation and continue to eliminate divergences through political and diplomatic approaches to seek a resolution of the Ukraine issue within the framework of law and order, Liu said.

"The top priority now is to find inspiration and plans to settle the issue and avoid further escalation of the already tense situation," he said.

Beijing supports the mediation efforts by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he said.

"China will continue to lobby for peace and dialogue and play a stronger constructive role in a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," Liu said.

On Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters that the Ukraine issue consists of complicated historical facts and pragmatic factors when he was asked about Beijing's stance of abstention on the draft resolution on Thursday.

The settlement requires "the balancing of all the aspects and cautious considerations" and all the parties should maintain calm and restraint, Hong said.

Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych called on Friday for referendums to be held across the country to determine the future status of every Ukrainian region.

"As a president who is with you in thought and soul, I ask every single sensible citizen of Ukraine not to let yourselves be used by the imposters. Demand a referendum on determining the status of every region in Ukraine," he said in a statement quoted by Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency.

Xinhua in New York and AFP in Kiev contributed to this story.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn