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China Calls for Full Participation of Somali Factions in Peace Process
China Thursday strongly urged the Somali faction leaders, who remain outside the peace process, to join the others in the peace efforts to end conflict and restore stability in the Horn of Africa country.
The statement came as Wang Yingfan, Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, took the floor at an open Security Council debate on Somalia, first of its kind at the 15- nation Council in recent years.
China "strongly urge those leaders of the main factions of Somalia who have stayed away from the National Peace Conference to demonstrate necessary political courage and political wisdom and take part in the peace process," Wang said.
"Any action detrimental to the attainment of peace in Somalia will be rejected by the Somali people," he said.
Of those who remain outside the peace process, by far the most serious obstacles are presented by the two "building blocks," the self-styled "Somaliland" and "Puntland," Kieran Prendergast, U.N. under-secretary-general for political affairs, told the Security Council Thursday.
The faction leaders refused to join the peace efforts initiated by the Djibouti president.
The Somalia National Peace Conference had moved into its second phase by the peace meeting which started on May 2 in Djibouti.
China spoke highly of the Djibouti president and government in its painstaking efforts to bring peace into Somalia, he said. "The entire people of Djibouti support the process of Somalia and has made very valuable contribution to this process."
"We appeal to the international community to provide all necessary assistance to Djibouti so as to successfully implement the initiative of Djibouti President (Ismail Omar) Guelleh," he said.
On the sanctions against Somalia, Wang said, "The effective implementation of the arms embargo will doubtlessly promote the peace process in Somalia. However, for too long, the relevant sanctions have not been implemented."
"We hope this situation will be rectified as soon as possible, " he said.
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