UNITED NATIONS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday expressed deep concern over a drone attack that led to casualties of Belarusian civilians.
China takes note of the reports of the June 17 drone attack against a bus carrying Belarusian civilians in Russia's Bryansk region, and expresses deep concern over the casualties resulting from the incident, said Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.
"Under no circumstances should civilians be targeted in attacks. Their safety must be protected," he told an emergency meeting of the Security Council.
Both Russia and Ukraine have recently endured immense suffering, with the monthly number of civilian casualties reaching a peak since the outbreak of the conflict. This development is deeply sad. The conflict has triggered severe spillover effects, frequently endangering the safety of people in other regional countries, said Sun.
"If the conflict continues indefinitely, it will only bring more suffering, cause more destruction, plunge more innocent people into this senseless tragedy, and make the situation even more unpredictable."
Conflict knows no winner, and war cannot solve problems, Sun said.
China once again calls on the parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, refrain from attacking civilians or civilian infrastructure, and work for de-escalation to cease hostilities at an early date, he said.
"We call on all parties to step up efforts to resume negotiations, demonstrate political will toward each other, and dedicate themselves to eliminating all root causes of the conflict based on full and complete compliance with the principles of the UN Charter, with a view to reaching a comprehensive, lasting, and binding peace agreement."
China maintains an objective and impartial position on the Ukraine issue. China remains engaged with all parties, including Russia and Ukraine, and tirelessly promotes peace talks. Alongside the international community, China is ready to continue playing a constructive role in promoting a political settlement to the crisis, said Sun. ■
