China backs UN role in Syria war

‘All parties must consult to resolve issues’

CHINA’S Foreign Ministry urged a role for the UN Security Council in resolving the crisis in Syria yesterday after the United States said it had given up trying to work with the council on Syria, accusing Russia of holding it hostage.

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power’s remarks on Thursday left no doubt that Washington would not seek UN approval for a military strike on Syria in response to an August 21 chemical attack near Damascus. She said a draft resolution Britain submitted to the five permanent council members last week calling for a response to that attack was effectively dead. Asked about those comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Security Council needed to be used.

“China supports the important role that the UN Security Council plays in properly resolving the Syria issue,” Hong told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

“We hope that relevant parties can continue communications and coordination and hold deep consultations so as to resolve the relevant issue in a peaceful way,” he added.

China has called for a full and impartial investigation by UN chemical weapons inspectors in Syria into the August 21 attack, and has warned against pre-judging the results. It has also said that whoever uses chemical weapons had to be held accountable.

Russia and China have both vetoed previous Western efforts to impose UN penalties on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But China has also been keen to show it is not taking sides and has urged the Syrian government to talk to the opposition and take steps to meet demands for political change. It has said a transitional government should be formed. — Reuters