Mr. President,

China abstained on the resolution that was put to a vote just now.

Children and armed conflict is an important item for the Security Council. China has taken a constructive approach from the very beginning in the consultations on the resolution. We have repeatedly emphasized that all sides of the Council should be patient in consultations and properly address the major concerns relating to the resolution so as to make sure that a consensus could be reached on the resolution and that the Security Council could have a unified voice on the question of protecting children. However, the resolution failed to accommodate the reasonable concerns of Council members, and it was hastily put to a vote without adequate consultation. China found it difficult to support a resolution that continues to give rise to serious differences among the members of the Council.

In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant resolutions of the Council, the Security Council should focus on the protection of children in situations of armed conflict. The resolution must not be willfully interpreted to equate incidents of terrorist attack in Pakistan, for instance, to armed conflict, which would exceed the mandate of the Security Council. Pakistan is at the forefront of the international fight against terrorism and has made important contributions to cooperation in the international fight against terrorism. The international community should provide more support and help to Pakistan’s efforts in counter-terrorism rather than creating difficulties and obstacles.

Thank you, Mr. President.