- Title: CHINA: Beijing vows support for Arab League's solution to Syria crisis
- Date: 5th June 2014
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JUNE 5, 2014) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MOROCCAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALAHEDDINE MEZOUAR, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI, AND ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL NABIL ELARABY SITTING DOWN FOR BRIEFING BRIEFING IN SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, WANG YI, SAYING: "Regarding the Syrian issue, China supports quick implementation of the spirit of the Geneva Communique and supports and respects the response of the Arab League's consensus, which will be agreed upon by all sides of the Syrian (conflict)." MEDIA FORUM MEETING IN SESSION DELEGATES FROM VARIOUS ARAB COUNTRIES SITTING DELEGATE FROM SAUDI ARABIA SITTING DELEGATE LISTENING FORUM IN SESSION WANG AND ELARABY SITTING DOWN FOR SIGNING CEREMONY WANG SIGNING AGREEMENT ELARABY SIGNING AGREEMENT ELARABY AND WANG STANDING UP / SHAKING HANDS MEDIA NEWS CONFERENCE IN SESSION JOURNALISTS TAKING NOTES NEWS CONFERENCE IN SESSION MEDIA NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING / MEZOUAR, WANG AND ELARABY SHAKING HANDS, WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 20th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAX5VXZUHZ4NGMVYGPSLTPKF4F
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: China vowed support for the Geneva Communiqu�and the Arab League's solution to the Syrian crisis on Thursday (June 5).
"Regarding the Syrian issue, China supports quick implementation of the spirit of the Geneva Communiqu� and supports and respects the response of the Arab League's consensus, which will be agreed upon by all sides of the Syrian (conflict)," said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang made the comments during a news briefing at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum just after Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to offer a new batch of aid to Syrian refugees.
Wang also signed several cooperation agreements with Arab League representatives just after his speech.
China and its ally, Russia, have both vetoed Western efforts to set United Nations (UN) penalties on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, though China has been keen to show it is not taking sides and has urged the Syrian government to talk to the opposition.
China has also said a transitional government should be formed.
The first round of Syria peace talks in Geneva in 2012 stipulated the establishment of a transitional government, though subsequent peace talks have floundered.
Assad won a landslide victory in a wartime election on Tuesday (June 3) that opponents condemned as a sham, but which demonstrated his tenacious hold on power after three years of a brutal civil war.
Assad's foes have ridiculed the election, saying the two relatively unknown and state-approved challengers offered no real alternative to Assad.
The United States and European Union also condemned the election.
China has played host to both opposition and government delegations, though to little apparent effect.
China, not a major diplomatic player in the Middle East despite its reliance on oil imports from the region, has consistently urged a political resolution for Syria and opposed the use of military force. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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