Chinese FM: Syria issue should be handled within UNSC framework

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Sunday night that the Syria issue should be dealt with under the framework of the UN Security Council (UNSC). Wang, accompanying Chinese President Xi Jinping in a state visit to Uzbekistan, stressed China's stance in a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The international community, Wang said, should abide by two principles on the Syria issue, namely, adhering to the basic norms in international relations and rejecting any use of chemical wapons. That means the issue should be brought back to the framework of the UNSC, where relevant parties can seek consensus and formulate a proper approach, he added. Both as UNSC permanent members, China and the United States should take the lead in upholding the UN Charter and give full play to the UNSC's role in safeguarding international peace and security, said Wang. The Chinese foreign minister reiterated China's opposition to the use of force in international relations, and urged relevant countries to think twice on their planned action on Syria. The two sides agreed to maintain communication on the issue. Commenting on Xi's latest meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in St. Petersburg, Wang said the meeting was very successful and would cast important influence on the two countries' efforts to build a new type of major-country relations. During his talks with Obama, Xi said "a political solution is the only right way out for the Syria crisis." "A military strike cannot solve the problem from the root," said the Chinese president. "We expect certain countries to have a second thought before action."