China Supports 'Transition' in Syria
China said Wednesday it supported a political transition in Syria and was not attached to President Bashar Assad as it defended its record during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Clinton, meeting in Beijing with the country's top leadership, reiterated she was "disappointed" by the vetoes of China and Russia of U.N. resolutions that would have threatened action against Assad to end the spiraling bloodshed.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi called for all sides to end fighting, telling a joint news conference with Clinton: "Let me emphasize that China is not partial to any individual or any party."
Yang called on all nations to exert "a positive influence" to persuade the sides in Syria "to adopt a realistic, calm and constructive attitude so that there can be an early beginning of political dialogue and transition".
But he warned against the use of outside force to end the conflict that activists say has killed more than 26,000 people -- a sensitive notion for one-party China.
"I think history will judge that China's position on the Syrian question is promotion of the appropriate handling and resolution of the Syrian issue," he said.
Clinton urged further action on Syria, saying: "The longer the conflict goes on, the greater the risk that it spills over borders and destabilizes neighboring countries."
"The best course of action remains to unite the Security Council behind real consequences if President Assad continues to brutalize his own people and threaten the security of the region," she said.
While China has voted against two draft U.N. resolutions, Russia is the primary supporter of Assad and has come under U.S. criticism for supplying arms as he puts down the biggest threat to his family's four-decade grip on power.
Clinton is expected to meet this weekend with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during an Asia-Pacific summit in Vladivostok.
Source: Agence France Presse
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