China calls for cessation of hostilities in Sudan

UNITED NATIONS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the warring parties in Sudan to cease hostilities.

The armed conflict in Sudan has carried on for three months, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, noting that fighting has continued despite the two parties having reached multiple temporary truces.

China hopes that all parties in Sudan will prioritize peace and the well-being of its people, seek dialogue and cease hostilities to avoid a greater humanitarian crisis, Dai said.

China supports the efforts of regional organizations and countries to promote peace talks, he told the Security Council.

"China hopes that the United Nations and international partners will support the efforts of regional organizations and cooperate with them. We encourage the regional organizations to strengthen coordination with all parties in Sudan and form synergy to promote an early de-escalation of the situation and avoid greater spillover effects," Dai said.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan's Darfur region has recently deteriorated. He noted that the Darfur issue has a long history and involves complex factors such as intercommunal clashes, resource competition and external interference.

China believes that the top priority right now is to encourage all parties to enforce the Juba Peace Agreement and assist the Sudanese authorities in fulfilling their duty to safeguard civilians. He said that China calls on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, fulfill their responsibility to protect civilians, curb violence and ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance in Darfur.