Chinese envoy calls for creation of favorable conditions for progress in Syrian political process

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2021 shows a view of the Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria at the UN headquarters in New York. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

China hopes the sixth session of the Constitutional Committee will start as scheduled and produce positive results while staying independent and free from external interference, said a Chinese envoy.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called on Syrian parties and the international community to create favorable conditions for progress in Syria's political process.

An early end to the 10-year-old Syrian crisis is the shared aspirations of the international community and the Syrian people. The ongoing violence, terrorism, and suffering of the people highlight the necessity and urgency of a political solution, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

China supports the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254 and the advancement of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, he told the Security Council.

UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen has just announced the good news that the sixth session of the Constitutional Committee will be convened soon. China hopes the session will start as scheduled and produce positive results while staying independent and free from external interference, said Geng.

But he cautioned that the Syrian political process cannot operate in a vacuum.

The UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen (L) meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad in Damascus, Syria, on Feb. 22, 2021. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

"If there is a serious lack of mutual trust among parties, it is hard for the Constitutional Committee to make any substantive progress. If schemes for regime change still exist, the work by Special Envoy Pedersen is bound to be difficult," he said.

China calls on the Syrian parties to actively cooperate with the special envoy in his work, strive to narrow differences and build consensus through dialogue and consultation. At the same time, the international community should create favorable conditions for the political process, he said.

Foreign forces without the authorization of the Syrian government should withdraw immediately. Illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria should be lifted immediately. Any scheme to impose an external solution should be renounced immediately. Economic plunder of Syria should end immediately, said Geng. "Only by fully respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and the right of its people to choose independently the political system and development path can there be the possibility and hope for a successful political settlement."

Terrorism is the common menace facing humanity. Counter-terrorism can serve as the starting point for parties to carry out cooperation and build mutual trust on the Syrian issue. All parties should support the Syrian government in combating terrorist organizations listed by the Security Council, avoid double standards and political manipulation, said Geng.

People shop at a market in Damascus, Syria, July 13, 2021. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

The international community has reached a high degree of consensus on alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people. Therefore, assisting Syria in improving people's livelihood and combating the pandemic can become another priority area of cooperation among parties. Opposing the Syrian government cannot justify punishing the Syrian people, he said.

Geng also said the Security Council should streamline the current briefings on Syria. Devoting three meetings per month to the Syrian issue takes up too much of the council's resources. China supports a gradual adjustment to combine the briefings on the political situation and humanitarian issues, and to give more considerations to closed-door consultations.