Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at Security Council Open VTC on Libya ICC |
2020-11-10 01:19 |
Madam President, I thank Ms. Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, for her briefing. I welcome Ambassador Elsonni, Permanent Representative of Libya, for his presence at this meeting. Since the escalation of conflict in Libya in April last year, the situation has finally shone a ray of hope. China welcomes the fact that the parties to the conflict in Libya signed a ceasefire agreement on the 23 October under the framework of the five plus five joint military commission, and that the Commission met in Libya last week and reached important consensus on implementing the ceasefire. We welcome the political will and courage displayed by the Libyan parties to achieve the ceasefire and appreciate UNSMIL’s important contributions. The ceasefire between the two Libyan parties is a key step in responding to the UN Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and in implementing the silencing the guns in Africa by 2020 initiative. It is also an important progress towards peace in the region and for that matter, around the world. The hard-won peace has brought new hope to the Libyan people. We should seize this window of opportunity to implement effectively the ceasefire and advance the political process expeditiously. China appreciates the efforts made by Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and other neighboring and regional countries to promote intra-Libya political dialogue to support the continued advancement of a Libyan led and owned political process and encourage the UN and regional organizations such as the AU and the Arab League to continue good offices and form synergy. The international community should strictly enforce the arms embargo, and fully respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Libya. We look forward to seeing Libya achieve lasting peace, stability and prosperity at an early date. I want to reiterate that China’s position on the ICC remains unchanged. Meanwhile, we have noticed that the prosecutor and other officials of the ICC are being subjected to unilateral sanctions, which are condemned by many countries. China always opposes unilateral sanctions, as they are inconsistent with international law, and we oppose bullying practices and power politics as they undermine the international order based on international law. Thank you, Madam President. |