Immediate ceasefire in Gaza priority: Chinese envoy

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-16 09:02

RAMALLAH -- An immediate ceasefire is the priority under the current situation in Gaza, a Chinese envoy said Thursday in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Sun Bigan, the visiting Chinese special envoy for the Middle East, told Xinhua shortly after his meeting with Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that China urged all parties to implement an immediate halt of military activities in Gaza.

Sun told Xinhua that during a good conversation with the PNA chairman, "Abbas briefed me on the details of the ongoing warfare in Gaza and the current situations regarding the Arab states."

Sun said that the conversation "helped us on understanding what is happening on the ground," and "one of the purpose of my visit is to present the five standpoints of the Chinese government on the current Middle East situation with the Arab and the Palestinian leaders."

Sun reiterated the five standpoints during the interview, saying that China calls on all parties concerned to abide by the UN Security Council Resolution 1860 and cease all military actions immediately to avert more casualties.

"Measures should be taken to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza," said Sun, adding a stable channel for supply of humanitarian aid including food, medicine and fuel for Gaza should be open at the earliest time possible, and parties concerned should provide the necessary guarantee in this regard.

Parties concerned should establish, through negotiation, a ceasefire monitoring mechanism in Gaza and work to create durable security and stability there, said the Chinese envoy.

He added that the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks should resume at the earliest time, and efforts should be made to seek solution to issues related to the final status of the Palestinian territories on the basis of mutual trust, so that an independent Palestinian state will be established as early as possible and the "two states" of Palestine and Israel will coexist peacefully.

Finally, the international community should increase mediating efforts for peace and promote a comprehensive, just and durable settlement of the Middle East issue, said Sun, added that China is ready to work with parties concerned and make unremitting efforts in this regard.

He stressed that the key issue and the most pressing matter of the moment is the first standpoint, referring to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip in order to ease the severe humanitarian crisis.

Sun added that Chinese government and people are following the situation in Gaza closely, and are concerning about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the strip.

Echoing Sun's remarks, Tayeb Abdel Rahim, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Presidency, told Xinhua that the Palestinian leadership welcome and appreciate the five standpoints of the Chinese government, adding that Abbas has urged all Palestinian factions to discuss them.

Tayeb went on to say that "we highly appreciate the help and the humanitarian aid provided by China, at a time that the Palestinians are suffering from dire situations."