Political settlement urged for Syria

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for the promotion of a political settlement of the Syria crisis, improve the security situation in the area, and address the challenges the country faces in its economic and humanitarian sectors.

The decadelong Syria crisis has led to a worrisome security and humanitarian situation. The United Nations, especially the Security Council, must step up efforts for an early end to the crisis to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"We must spare no effort in pushing for a political settlement of the Syria issue," he told the Security Council. The meeting took place as the presidential election kicked off in Syria on Wednesday.

China supports the work of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen in promoting the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254, which provides a roadmap for a political settlement.

China calls on all parties in Syria to maintain communication with Pedersen and advance the work of the Constitutional Committee based on the existing consensus. The Constitutional Committee must work independently, free of external interference, he said.

There is a need to ensure the political process is Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, he added.

Syria has been caught in a devastating civil war since March 2011. The fighting has killed nearly half a million people, wounded more than a million others, and displaced half the country's population, including over 5 million as refugees.

The international community must work to jointly combat terrorism in Syria in accordance with international law and Security Council resolutions, he said.

Zhang called for comprehensive measures to address the challenges Syria is facing in rebuilding the nation.

The country is facing multiple challenges, including COVID-19, food insecurity, currency depreciation, fuel shortages, and inadequate and broken infrastructure. China called on the United Nations to scale up its food, vaccine and medical assistance to Syria and said all parties to the conflict should protect civilians and stop disruptive acts against civilian infrastructure, he said.

With unilateral sanctions in place, assistance funds cannot reach the territory of Syria, resulting in tremendous difficulties in repairing and rebuilding its infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, and power plants.

Syria cannot even purchase the most basic parts and components or equipment. The so-called humanitarian exemptions are nothing but an empty shell, he noted. Unilateral sanctions, which are impeding Syria's reconstruction efforts, must be lifted immediately, said Zhang. He stressed the importance of transparency and non-politicization of humanitarian relief for Syria.

The future of Syria is in the hands of the Syrian people. China sincerely hopes the Syrian people can dispel the clouds of war and restore peace and stability as soon as possible. To that end, China will continue to play a constructive role, said Zhang.