CHINA: Beijing urges all parties in Syria to honor the ceasefire and looks forward to resuming nuclear talks with Iran

Record ID: 280665

  • Title: CHINA: Beijing urges all parties in Syria to honor the ceasefire and looks forward to resuming nuclear talks with Iran
  • Date: 10th April 2012
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (APRIL 9, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON LIU WEIMIN WALKING INTO ROOM FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON LIU WEIMIN SAYING: "China urges the Syrian government and opposition groups to seize the current cri
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China, China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVAA441AQCC2AAAUML4RMEZUKXFQ
  • Story Text: China on Monday (April 9) urged the Syrian government and opposition groups to abide by pledges for a ceasefire and said it looked forward to resumption of nuclear talks with Iran.
    Beijing's appeal was issued after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's demand for written guarantees from his opponents threw doubt on the prospects for a ceasefire brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan taking hold.
    China's Foreign Ministry called on all parties involved to honor the ceasefire promise.
    "China urges the Syrian government and opposition groups to seize the current critical moment to abide by the ceasefire and troop withdrawal promises, cooperate with special envoy Annan's mediation efforts to alleviate the current tense situation and facilitate humanitarian assistance," the ministry's spokesperson Liu Weimin told a regular news conference in Beijing.
    Annan's plan calls for Syrian troops to pull out from towns by Wednesday (April 10), and calls for a humanitarian corridor for assistance, and to allow foreign journalists and observers inside the country. Once that is done, the plan calls for all sides to stop violence within 48 hours.
    China and Russia had previously vetoed two resolutions on Syria put to vote before the UN Security Council. But both countries support the current plan, after Annan personally visited the two countries.
    Liu also commented on the upcoming talks world powers are scheduled to hold with Iran over its nuclear program.
    "The six countries will resume talks with Iran. We expect the six nations to take a maneuverable and pragmatic attitude during talks with Iran, pay enough attention to issues of mutual concern, have a thorough discussion over the Iranian nuclear issue and strive for progress, in order to create a positive beginning for a comprehensive, long-term and appropriate solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," he said.
    The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Germany are set to meet Iranian negotiators in Istanbul on April 14, according to a spokesperson for the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
    The talks follow heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Iran's nuclear program.
    Tehran has long insisted its atomic activities are for power generation and producing isotopes for medical purposes, but the West suspects it of building nuclear weapons.
    The U.S. has gradually stiffened sanctions against Iran for not sharing more information on its nuclear program, and the EU has agreed to boycott imports of Iranian oil. In turn, Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transport route for nearly one-fifth of the world's traded oil supply.
    Russia and China recently joined the four Western powers in expressing "regret" over Iran's expansion of high-grade enrichment.
    The last round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 were held in January 2011, with no results.
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