China backs efforts to end Syria violence

Wu Sike, China’s Envoy to the Middle East currently visiting Syria, on Thursday said he supported the Arab League’s efforts in trying to resolve the crisis in Syria.

"China supports the efforts made by the Arab League to make Syria launch a comprehensive political process whose contribution is wide in order to avoid (Syria) foreign intervention", said Wu Sike at news conference held in Damascus.


Sike met with Syria’s Vice-President Farouq al-Shara' and Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem and said China wished to see Syria solve its own issues.

The Chinese official added: "As Syria is a sovereign state, we see that we should leave the Syrian issue for the Syrian people to decide. We want the solutions to suit the national conditions in Syria."

Earlier this month China and Russia vetoed a U.N. Security resolution condemning Syria for its brutal crackdown on protestors and imposing targeted measures against the regime unless it halted the violence.

The U.N. estimates that 3,000 Syrians have been killed since the violence began seven months ago.

Sike’s statement and visit comes after a ministerial delegation from the Arab League met with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday to discuss ways of ending the violence in Syria that has taken a toll in the last seven months.

Two parties have agreed to meet again on the 30th of October, 2011.