China Wants Consensus in International Relations

Xi Jinping, the new leader of the Chinese Communist Party and government, visits with Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou-Nguesso in Brazzaville. China says it is an all weather friend to Africa., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

China wants consensus

September 27, 2013

BEIJING/MOSCOW. — China wants the United Nations Security Council to reach consensus on a draft resolution on Syria’s chemical weapons at an early date, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday.

“China supports the Security Council to reach consensus as soon as possible so that the work of inspecting and destructing chemical weapons in Syria can start at an early date, and to send a clear signal of backing political solution to the Syria issue,” Hong said at a daily news briefing.

The UN Security Council is working on a draft resolution on Syria’s chemical weapons, but disagreement remains on whether the resolution should be under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which includes possible military intervention, media reports said.

China has always participated in the consultations in an active and constructive manner and is willing to keep in touch with various parties to push for an early consensus, Hong said.

Russia also says it is ready to safeguard the sites for destroying Syrian chemical arsenals, a senior diplomat said yesterday.

“We are ready to take part in providing security around the sites where the works will be held,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters at the Russia Arms Expo-2013 fair. He added that other member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation could also participate in that process but noted that very much will depend on the general security situation in Syria.

Ryabkov hailed the United Nations’ decision to send a new team of chemical experts back to Syria, and said the new report after the investigation must be comprehensive and free from the one-sided and hasty conclusions the previous report has contained.

The UN team headed by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom arrived in Damascus on Wednesday.

Ryabkov added that Russia also expected the inspectors from the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to arrive in Syria, with a task to verify the initial information about Syrian chemical weapons Damascus submitted to the OPCW last week.

“We expect full and steady cooperation from the Syrian authorities,” the Interfax news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying.
The diplomat urged all parties in the Syrian domestic conflict to guarantee seamless work of the UN and OPCW teams.

— Xinhua.