China urges intl community to facilitate talks between Russia, Ukraine

A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the international community to make more efforts on diplomatic mediation and create an enabling environment for resuming peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

China is deeply concerned and saddened by the continuing crisis in Ukraine, which has caused frequent vicious attacks and civilian casualties, with continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN).

China calls on the parties to the conflict to exercise calm and restraint, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, and do their utmost to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, especially nuclear facilities, Geng said at a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

He added that the international community and humanitarian organizations should step up efforts to help the people affected by the crisis to overcome their difficulties.

The parties to the conflict should respond positively to the international community's call for peace, strengthen their contacts, build consensus and resume peace talks as soon as possible, he stressed.

He said that China welcomes the exchange of prisoners on January 3 between Russia and Ukraine mediated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is their first in nearly five months. 

On the issue of Ukraine, China has always stood on the side of peace and dialogue, always been resolute in promoting peace talks, and will continue to make unremitting efforts to reach a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, the Chinese envoy reiterated.

(Cover: A file photo of Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN. /CFP)