China calls for efforts to mitigate Syria's security, economic, humanitarian situation

UNITED NATIONS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for efforts to mitigate Syria's security, economic and humanitarian situation.

Last month, the seventh meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee core group was held in Geneva. China calls on all parties in Syria to maintain communications with UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen, strengthen consultations on specific texts, and continue to advance the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

It is worth noting that Syria still faces a complex security situation. Progress made in resolving major national security issues, such as foreign occupation and terrorism, can help create necessary conditions for the political process, he said.

"China stands ready to work with the United Nations, the guarantor states of the Astana process, and relevant countries in the region to make greater efforts to resolve the above-mentioned two outstanding issues," Dai told the Security Council.

The economic and humanitarian situation in Syria is bleak. It is the responsibility of the international community to help the Syrian people overcome difficulties and move forward with reconstruction, he said.

The international community should earnestly implement the Security Council Resolution 2585 by providing humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to the Syrian people without precondition, and help them obtain sustainable basic services, he said.

"China welcomes the UN move to allocate 26 percent of the resources for the Syrian humanitarian response plan to carry out 570 early-recovery projects, and hopes that these projects can truly improve people's livelihoods, reduce humanitarian needs, and save more lives in Syria," said Dai.

China welcomes the third cross-line aid operation recently launched by the United Nations in Northwest Syria, he said. "We appreciate the Syrian government's active cooperation in the operation, and urge relevant parties in the Northwest to provide access and security guarantee for the cross-line operation to facilitate the distribution of assistance."

The cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism is controversial. The United Nations should strengthen the monitoring of cross-border aid operations to ensure their humanitarian nature and at the same time strive to promote the gradual transition of cross-border operation to cross-line operation, said the envoy.

He once again called on the countries concerned to lift the unilateral coercive measures against Syria to restore the rights of the Syrian people to develop their economy, conduct trade, and rebuild their country.