It is imperative to push both parties to open the door to a political settlement ASAP to solve the Ukraine issue: Chinese envoy to the UN
September 28, 2022 — It is imperative to push both Russia and Ukraine to open the door to a political settlement as soon as possible, to include the respective legitimate concerns in the negotiations, and to put all viable options on the table, Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the United Nation (UN) said on Tuesday at the UN Security Council briefing on Ukraine conflict.
China’s position and proposition on how to view and handle the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear, that is the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported, Zhang said.
“China has always stood on the side of peace with a commitment to promote peace and dialogue and will continue to play a constructive role.”
The general debate of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly concluded at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday.
Zhang noted that in the just concluded General Assembly general debate, many leaders expressed their concerns about the prolongation and expansion of the crisis in Ukraine and its spillover effects and called for dialogue and negotiation to cease hostilities and manage the negative impacts caused by the spillover of the crisis.
“The recent developments remind us once again that peace must be pursued and upheld by all. Bloc confrontation, political isolation, sanctions, and pressurization will only lead to a dead end,” Zhang warned. The signing of the Black Sea grain initiative has already shown that even in conflict situations, diplomacy can produce results and bring hope, Zhang added. The agreement was signed in Istanbul by the Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN on July 22 to help stabilize spiraling food prices worldwide and prevent a food crisis that could affect millions of people.
The Security Council, as the core of the international collective security mechanism, should make full use of the mediation tools given by the Charter, and stick to the right direction of ceasefire and peace talks, Zhang said.
China will work with all peace-loving countries to continue to make unremitting efforts to deescalate the situation and resolve the crisis.