UNITED NATIONS, May 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called on parties in Syria to engage constructively in dialogue to seek a political settlement of the crisis in the country.
China attaches great importance to the appeals by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Special Envoy Geir Pedersen for a cease-fire in Syria, and calls on all parties to enhance mutual trust, de-escalate the situation and jointly combat the COVID-19pandemic, said Yao Shaojun, China's acting deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.
There is a window of opportunity to promote inclusive dialogue and create favorable conditions for a political solution, he told a virtual meeting of the Security Council.
The Syrian parties should continue to engage constructively with each other and maintain dialogue within the framework of the Constitutional Committee, he said.
The future of Syria must be decided by the Syrians on their own, without foreign interference. It is fundamental to respect and safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, he added. Enditem
