Beijing yesterday joined Moscow in throwing its support behind UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan as he held talks with Chinese leaders on his proposals for ending the bloodshed in Syria.
China called on both sides in the conflict to cooperate with Annan, as fractured opposition factions met in Turkey to try to form a united front against the Damascus regime.
“We hope that all parties in Syria can cooperate with Mr Annan’s mediation efforts, in order to create conditions for the political settlement of the Syrian issue,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei (洪磊) told journalists.
The bloodshed in Syria has been unrelenting since protests against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad erupted a year ago. Monitors say more than 9,100 people have been killed as the regime cracks down.
China and Russia have provoked Western fury by twice blocking UN Security Council resolutions that condemned the Assad regime.
However, China has repeatedly called for an end to the violence in Syria, and earlier this month backed a UN statement urging al-Assad to work toward ceasing hostilities.
Annan yesterday held talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) after securing the support of Moscow for his plan, which calls for a UN-supervised halt to fighting in Syria and a transition to a more representative political system.
“I cannot do this job alone, I need help, I need support and I need support and advice from countries like yours and that’s why I am here,” the former UN secretary general told Wen. “And I know you’ve already been helpful, but this is going to be a long, difficult task and I am sure that together we can make a difference.”
Wen said efforts to find a solution to the crisis were now “at a critical juncture.”
China, nervous about Arab Spring-style protests of its own, opposes any international intervention in Syria, but it is pushing for its own six-point plan calling for an immediate end to the conflict and for dialogue between the regime and opposition.
In Istanbul, Syrian opposition factions, including the main Syrian National Council, were meeting for a second day to agree on common objectives for their nation’s future ahead of a weekend “Friends of Syria” conference.
Syria’s fragmented opposition has struggled to remain united in the face of the regime’s deadly crackdown and the Istanbul talks are aimed at shoring up ranks and securing international recognition.
On the ground, Syrian forces pressed their assault across the country with at least eight people, including three women, killed overnight in clashes with rebel troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Annan has said there can be no deadline to ending the year-long crisis.
“I think only Syrians should decide the issue of Assad’s resignation,” he told Russian news agencies after Sunday’s talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
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