Recently, the conflict in Syria has continued to escalate, causing a serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation in some areas and plunging the Syrian people into deep suffering. China expresses its deep concern about the situation in Syria and feels for the Syrian people in their suffering in the conflict. Under the current circumstances, it is all the more necessary for the international community to remain committed to the political settlement of the Syrian issue. It must work together to push the Syrian issue back on the track of seeking a solution through dialogue and negotiations and to find a fundamental way out of the conflict as soon as possible.

Security Council action on the question of Syria should be conducive to the work on the four tracks, namely, a resumption of the ceasefire, political negotiations, cooperation on counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance. The situation in Syria is complex, sensitive and grave. The parties concerned, such as the Russian Federation and the United States, are making diplomatic efforts to ease of the situation in Syria. The Security Council’s actions should support and cooperate with those diplomatic initiatives.

The draft resolution (S/2016/1026) that the Security Council just voted on includes specific measures for easing the humanitarian situation in Syria. Council members, including the co-penholders, made great efforts to seek consensus. Those efforts could have continued so that the Council could speak with one voice to the outside world and avoid the politicization of the humanitarian issue. Action on the draft resolution while there were still serious differences was not conducive to the diplomatic efforts by the countries concerned, nor is it helpful for improving the situation in Syria.

The situation in Syria is the result of multiple overlapping factors. The only way is take an integrated approach to seek a comprehensive, fair and proper settlement. The international community needs to work together to ease the humanitarian situation in Syria. It equally needs to set its sight on the overall situation and continue to support the United Nations role as the main channel of mediation and push the Syrian parties to find an agreement that is acceptable to everyone through negotiations, under the principle of being Syrian-owned and Syrian-led. The Security Council should maintain unity on the question of Syria and speak with one voice. It must work together to play a constructive role for an early political settlement of the question of Syria.