EGYPT: China calls on Damascus to allow Arab League peace monitors to carry out their inspection in Syria unhindered

Record ID: 280139

  • Title: EGYPT: China calls on Damascus to allow Arab League peace monitors to carry out their inspection in Syria unhindered
  • Date: 13th January 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JANUARY 12, 2012) (REUTERS) ARAB LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS ARAB LEAGUE FLAG ON TOP OF BUILDING FLAGS OF ARAB LEAGUE COUNTRIES VARIOUS OF ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY-GENERAL, NABIL AL-ARABY, IN MEETING WITH CHINA'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST, WU SIKE FLAGS OF ARAB COUNTRIES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CHINA'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST, WU SIKE, SAYING: "Rega
  • Embargoed: 28th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt, Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA97VWIX5536VNIU5RT4K4ZF4HB
  • Story Text: China called on Syria on Thursday (January 12) to cooperate with the Arab League peace mission in the country, but stopped short of outright criticism of President Bashar al-Assad.
    On a visit to the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo, Chinese envoy Wu Sike said Damascus must allow the monitors to do their job.
    "Regarding the monitors, we have noticed that they have faced difficulties over the past two days, which hinders the work of the monitors. This is unfortunate. We are calling for the avoidance of any obstacles and for suitable conditions to allow the monitors to do their work," he said.
    Syrian opposition groups say the monitors, who deployed on December 26 to check whether Syria was respecting an Arab peace plan, have only bought Assad more time to crush protests that erupted in March, inspired by Arab uprisings elsewhere.
    One monitor, who quit the League's team this week, said many of his former colleagues had left Syria or may do so soon because the mission had failed to halt Assad's violent crackdown on a popular revolt against his rule.
    But, while Western countries have been harshly critical of Syria, Russia, China and non-aligned countries have avoided blaming Assad for the violence.
    China's Foreign Ministry said last month that it supported a new, beefed-up draft resolution on the violence in Syria presented to the U.N. Security Council by Russia.
    But speaking in Cairo on Thursday, Wu Sike stressed Beijing wanted to see an Arab League solution to the issue.
    "The Chinese government's position on the Syrian issue is: firstly, the cessation of all types of violence, along with a political process with the participation of the different parties and also a compromise on the Syrian issue within the framework of the Arab League."
    China has played a low-key role in the turmoil that has swept the Middle East and North Africa, but it has also moved swiftly to normalise ties with governments which have been overthrown by popular revolts, such as in Libya.
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