Special Envoy Zhai Jun of the Chinese Government on the Middle East issue recently traveled to the region as part of China’s intensive mediation efforts, urging relevant parties to immediately stop military operations and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday. He stressed that these efforts will continue as long as the conflict persists.
Lin briefed the media on Zhai's recent diplomatic activities in the Middle East. During his trip, Zhai met with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt, as well as the secretaries-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab League. He also had a phone conversation with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi. All parties expressed appreciation for China's fair stance and efforts to promote peace, looking forward to a greater role from China, Lin added.
"During his visit, Special Envoy Zhai Jun outlined China's position on the current situation, emphasizing that promoting peace and a ceasefire is the fundamental way out of the crisis. He urged relevant parties to immediately stop military operations to prevent further deterioration, resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, and address tensions and differences through political and diplomatic means. He emphasized that the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter should be upheld, and that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of GCC countries should be fully respected. Non-military targets should not be attacked, and maritime safety should not be disrupted. All parties expressed appreciation for China's fair stance and efforts to promote peace, looking forward to a greater role from China," said Lin.
"Special Envoy Zhai Jun’s trip to the Middle East is part of China’s intensive diplomatic mediation efforts. China, as a responsible major power and a sincere friend to countries in the Middle East, bases its policy in the region on promoting reconciliation and peace. As long as the conflict drags on, our diplomatic mediation efforts will not stop," he added.
China’s special envoy mediates for immediate ceasefire, dialogue in Middle East
The United Nations (UN) is opposed to anything that "could constitute extrajudicial execution" and urged all relevant parties to avoid further escalation of the Middle East conflict, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at a press conference in New York City on Wednesday.
Haq was responding to a media query about the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, in Israeli attacks earlier this week.
The assassinations of Khatib and Iran's top security official Larijani were confirmed by the Iranian government on Wednesday and Tuesday, respectively.
Haq also briefed the press about Guterres' ongoing visit to Brussels, during which the Secretary-General will hold meetings with European Union (EU) leaders on UN-EU ties and global hotspot issues, such as the conflict in the Middle East and the Ukraine crisis.
"The Secretary-General arrived in Brussels earlier this morning for a series of meetings, including with European Union officials. He met earlier this afternoon with Maxime Prevot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation of Belgium. The Secretary-General then began his meetings with European Union officials, starting with Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament. The Secretary-General and the president discussed the partnership between the United Nations and the European Union. They also discussed a number of crises around the world, including the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine," said Haq.
"The Secretary-General will travel to the seat of the European Commission for discussions with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. And later, the Secretary-General will meet with Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and also have a working dinner with Mr. Costa," he said.
On the killing of a string of senior Iranian officials, Haq expressed the UN's opposition to illegal military strikes and repeated its call for a de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
"First of all, as a point of principle, the United Nations is opposed to anything that could constitute extrajudicial execution, and that's true in all such cases, But beyond that, we do not believe that there is a military solution to this problem and we reiterate our call to Israel, to the United States, to Iran, and to any other parties to avoid any further escalation of this conflict," he said.
UN opposes 'extrajudicial execution', urges de-escalation of Middle East conflict: deputy spokesman
