CHINA: China rebukes criticism on its position on Syria.

Record ID: 276418

  • Title: CHINA: China rebukes criticism on its position on Syria.
  • Date: 4th August 2012
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 4, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LONG ZHOU, COUNCILLOR FOR CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY'S DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (RIGHT), AND WANG KEJIAN, DEPUTY HEAD OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY'S WEST ASIAN AND NORTH AFRICAN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT (LEFT), WALKING IN AND SITTING DOWN JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) WANG KEJIAN, DEPUTY HEAD OF CHINESE FOREIG
  • Embargoed: 19th August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6H60ZPXPRXTFQKID418D0ZUKB
  • Story Text: China lashes out at countries that criticize its stance on Syria a day after the United Nations passed a resolution to condemn the Security Council's failure to stop escalating violence.
    Beijing defended its position on Syria on Saturday (August 4), one day after U.N. member states overwhelmingly voted to condemn the Syrian government at a special session of the General Assembly that Western diplomats said highlighted the isolation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's supporters, Russia and China.
    The 193-nation assembly approved the Saudi-drafted resolution, which expressed "grave concern" at the escalation of violence in Syria and condemned the Security Council for its action, with 133 votes in favour, 12 against and 31 abstentions on Friday (August 3).
    China, along with Assad's staunch ally Russia, was among the 12 countries that opposed the resolution in the assembly, where no country has a veto but all decisions are non-binding.
    Wang Kejian, deputy head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's West Asian and North African Affairs Department, said countries that made "unfounded criticism" about China's position was after their own agenda.

    "In pursuit of their own geopolitical interests in Syria, they (countries that criticized China's position on Syria) tried to hinder or undermine the political settlement process and are trying to shift responsibility for the difficulties onto other countries," Wang said.
    U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan, who announced on Thursday (August 2) his intention to step down at the end of August, said the Security Council deadlock was among the factors undermining his peace efforts.
    Beijing offered praise to Annan's contributions and expressed regret for his resignation.

    "China expresses regret for Annan's decision to step down from his position as a special envoy. We understand the difficulties and challenges that Annan faces as a mediator, and respect his decision. Since he took the job, special envoy Annan has played a positive and constructive role in the push for a political solution to the Syrian issue. On this regard, China expresses praise," said Long Zhou, Councillor for Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department for International Relations.
    Last month Russia and China joined forces in their third double veto on the Syrian crisis to strike down a resolution that would have called for an end to the violence and threatened Damascus with sanctions.
    Russia, which has its only warm water naval base outside the former Soviet Union in Syria, is Assad's key supporter and principal arms supplier.
    China, diplomats say, has been supporting Moscow in exchange for Russian pledges to back Beijing on issues like North Korea and Taiwan at the United Nations.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register