By Tian Guangfeng, Ambassador of China to Timor-Leste

China is deeply worried by the increasingly grave situation in Syria and the continued escalation of the crisis in recent days. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce China's position on the Syrian issue and China's opinion towards relevant events recently occurred.

I. China's Basic Position on the Syrian Issue

China's position on the Syrian issue is consistent and clear: Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity should be respected; Syria's future and destiny should be independently determined by the Syrian people themselves, rather than imposed by outside forces; the Syrian issue must be resolved through political means, and military means would go nowhere; the political settlement to the Syrian issue can only be led by the Syrian people and should be universally accepted by all relevant parties in Syria.

China believes that both the Syrian Government and the oppositions have the obligation to restore peace and stability in Syria at an early date. China opposes and condemns all forms of terrorism and violent acts against innocent civilians．We urge all parties in Syria to immediately and completely achieve ceasefire and cessation of violence, and create conditions for a political settlement to the crisis.

China believes that, to solve the Syrian issue thoroughly, the international community should stick to the right direction of political settlement. With the purpose and focus on restoring peace and stability in Syria at an early date and maintaining the peace and stability in the Middle East, the international community should actively seek a peaceful, just and appropriate solution to the Syrian issue. China opposes any act of forcing a regime change, because to impose a solution from outside will not help defuse the Syrian crisis, and sanctions will lead to nothing but a more complicated situation. China supports the United Nations in the important role it plays for the appropriate settlement to the Syrian issue. China is open to any proposal that is conducive to the political settlement of the Syrian issue.

II. China's Opinion on Relevant Efforts by the Arab League, Special Envoy Annan, and UNSMIS

China understands the concern of Arab countries and the League of Arab States about an early settlement to the Syrian issue. We set store by the important role they play in the political settlement to this issue and appreciate their efforts in that regard.

We express appreciation for the positive and constructive role Mr. Kofi Annan, the United Nations – Arab League Joint Special Envoy on the Syrian Issue, has played in promoting a political settlement to the Syrian issue. China has taken real actions to render active support and coordination to Mr. Annan's mediation efforts. We understand the difficulties and obstacles Mr. Annan's mediation has been facing with, and regret Mr. Kofi Annan's recent resignation from the post of the Joint Special Envoy.

UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) has played an important and irreplaceable role in the appropriate settlement to the Syrian issue. China therefore supports extension of the mandate of UNSMIS, endorses Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's proposal to appropriately adjust the work of UNSMIS, and has been vigorously pushing for agreement among Security Council members through consultations. We are glad to see that, after twists and turns, on July 20th, the Security Council unanimously adopted the UNSC Resolution 2059 concerning the extension of mandate of UNSMIS. The adoption of this resolution sends a clear signal about the Security Council's support for the political settlement of the Syrian crisis.

III. China's Opinion on the Conduct of Relevant Countries

In face of the continued escalation of tension in Syria, the top priority for the international community now is to continue coordination with UNSMIS for the implementation of its duties, implement the communiqué adopted by the foreign ministers' meeting of the Action Group on Syria held in Geneva, the relevant Security Council resolutions and Mr. Annan's six-point plan, and create conditions for an inclusive political dialogue at an early date.

China is devoted to realizing the above objectives, and has been adhering to an active, constructive and responsible attitude in its contribution to the appropriate settlement of the Syrian issue. China has no self interests in the Syrian issue. China's position and opinion on the Syrian issue is identical to its consistent position on international affairs, and is not targeted at a particular incident or at a certain time. Our purpose is to safeguard the interests of the Syrian people and Arab countries, the interests of all countries, the small and medium-sized countries in particular, the role and authority of the United Nations and its Security Council, as well as the basic norms governing international relations.

In contrast, a few countries have adopted a negative attitude toward Annan's mediation and UNSMIS from the very beginning. Over the past few months, they have been spreading words about the futility and failure of Annan's mediation and UNSMIS, setting preconditions and obstacles for extension of UNSMIS, and pegging it to invoking of Chapter VII of the UN Charter and threat of sanctions. What's more, they attempted to change, and even repudiate the hard-won consensus reached by the Action Group during the Geneva meeting. They showed no sincerity but arrogance during the consultations. This could be exemplified by the incident in the Security Council on July 19th when a few countries pressed for a vote on the draft resolution concerning the Syrian issue.

This draft resolution is seriously problematic, with uneven content that is intended to put pressure on only one party in Syria. Experience has proven that such practice would not help resolve the Syrian issue, but instead would only derail the issue from the track of political settlement. It will not only further aggravate the turmoil, but also result in spillover of the problem to other countries in the region, undermine regional peace and stability, and ultimately impair the interests of the people in Syria and other countries in the region.

Besides, the draft resolution fundamentally violated the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting, seriously disrupted the mediation efforts made by Special Envoy Annan, and seriously eroded international trust and cooperation on the Syrian issue. What's more, the draft resolution jeopardizes the unity of the Security Council. During consultations on this draft resolution, the sponsoring countries failed to show any political will of cooperation. They adopted a rigid and arrogant approach to the reasonable core concerns of the relevant countries, and refused to make revisions. It is even more regrettable that, under circumstances when parties were still seriously divided and there was still enough time for continued consultation, the sponsoring countries refused to heed the call of China, some other Security Council members and Special Envoy Annan for further consultation until a text acceptable to all parties is formed, and pressed for a vote on the draft resolution. China would never accept such practice.

Considering the behavior of a few countries on the Syrian issue, we can't help but question their willingness to see extension of UNSMIS, or early settlement of the Syrian crisis through a Syrian-led political process. We urge these countries to earnestly reflect on their policy and behavior, and immediately return to the right track.

The political settlement to the Syrian issue is a long process, and may be disturbed by twists and turns, which necessitates the sincerity, wisdom and patience of all relevant parties of Syria and the international community. China stands ready to make concerted efforts with the international community to uphold the general direction of a political settlement to this issue and encourage political dialogue to resolve differences and ease tension so as to safeguard the fundamental interests of the people in Syria and other countries in the region and preserve peace and stability in the Middle East.