China calls for 'authoritative' UN conference on Palestine

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China has called on the UN Security Council to hold an "authoritative" international peace conference to politically resolve the Palestinian issue.

Urging the UNSC to take “more active and vigorous actions on the Palestinian issue,” Chinese diplomat Geng Shuang said: “China calls for a larger, more authoritative, and more influential international peace conference, in which permanent members of the Council and all stakeholders in the Middle East process are invited to participate in exploring effective ways and means to politically resolve the Palestinian issue.”

During a debate on the situation in the Middle East at the UNSC on Tuesday, Geng asked the UN body to work with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to bring about broader and more effective efforts to promote peace.

The deputy chief of the Chinese mission to the UN said the Middle East peace process was “still at a standstill,” a statement from the mission said.

Expressing concern over the non-implementation of UN resolutions, he said the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people have been continuously violated, and their predicament has been further exacerbated.

“The question of Palestine is the core of the Middle East issue that bears on regional peace and security. It should not be marginalized, much less forgotten,” he added. “Reversing the situation on the ground brooks no delay.”

“Israel continues to expand its settlement activities in the occupied territories, with more than 300 settlements having been built so far and more than 700,000 settlers having moved in, thus continuing to squeeze the living space of Palestinian people and undermining the prospect of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state,” he said.

He urged Israel to abide by international law, implement Security Council Resolution 2334, and immediately stop all settlement activities.