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Remarks by Ambassador Zhang Jun at the UN Security Council Briefing by the Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

2022-03-14 12:00

Mr. President,

I welcome Foreign Minister Rau of Poland, the Chairperson-in-office of the OSCE, to this meeting. I have listened carefully to the briefings by Mr. Rau and Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo.

China has always supported the efforts by the UN and the Security Council, on the basis of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, to develop partnerships with regional organizations, including the OSCE, with a view to effectively addressing challenges in international peace and security. The OSCE covers a large area and is fairly rich in its coordination mechanisms. For years, it has done a lot of work in enhancing mutual trust among member states, preventing and resolving conflicts, and addressing nontraditional security threats. We welcome and are pleased to see the important role of the OSCE in complementing the international system with the UN at its core.

Mr. President,

The international situation is undergoing profound changes, and is full of instability and uncertainties. The outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine has further led us to think how to maintain peace and stability of the international system, and focus more on the real pathway towards universal security and common development. We must seek new enlightenment and answers from the history of and the current severe challenges facing the OSCE.

First, we must adhere to the overall direction of dialogue and cooperation. Even in the most intensive moment of the Cold War, dialogue and cooperation were possible and necessary. The more frictions, differences and potential risks there are, the more important and necessary it is to enhance understanding and mutual trust. The world is now in a new era. The path of dialogue and cooperation should become wider and wider, rather than narrower and narrower. Differences among states in national interests, social system and ideology shall not become an obstacle to dialogue, let alone a reason for confrontation.

Second, the world is indivisible, and security is indivisible. In the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, the important principle of indivisible security was first established. This principle carries special significance under the current circumstances. Therefore, it should not only be upheld, but more importantly, be implemented. The final settlement of the crisis in Ukraine requires taking seriously and respecting the legitimate security concerns of all states, and forming a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism.

Third, the Cold War was over long ago. The Cold-War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be completely rejected. Sticking to hegemony mentality and provoking bloc confrontations will only bring the world disasters and exacerbate turmoil and division. That is the case in Europe. It is also the case in other regions. This world does not need another Cold War. This world can live with common growth and progress of all countries. All countries must, under the banner of multilateralism, strengthen unity and cooperation and work together for a community with a shared future for mankind.

Mr. President,

China's position on the issue of Ukraine is consistent and clear-cut. Recently, President Xi Jinping held a video conference with leaders of France and Germany, where he pointed out that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be observed, that the legitimate security concerns of all states must be taken seriously, and that all efforts towards peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported. The four “musts” represent the most authoritative position of China on the issue of Ukraine. Based on this position, China will strengthen communication and coordination with all parties concerned, and continue its constructive role in promoting dialogue for peace.

China is deeply concerned about and saddened by the developments in Ukraine. Early cessation of hostilities is the shared wish of the international community. Dialogue and negotiations is the only feasible and realistic means to achieve that goal. Recently, Russia and Ukraine have held multiple rounds of direct negotiations, and have demonstrated the willingness to further continue the negotiations. The international community must help sustain this positive momentum, continue to encourage and support Russian-Ukraine negotiations, and create the necessary environment and conditions to that end. The crisis in Ukraine is interwoven with European security and stability. We encourage the OSCE to bring into full play its strengths and set up the necessary platform for the negotiations and communication of the parties concerned.

We call for maximum restraint and effective guarantee for civilian security and their basic needs. And we call for safe and unimpeded humanitarian corridors so as to prevent a humanitarian crisis of a larger scale. China's six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine has received more and more support from other countries. We have also provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in kind. We support the UN in fully playing its coordinating role in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and we are ready to work with other parties in achieving consensus on the Council's response to the humanitarian crisis.

As a Chinese saying goes, the three-foot deep ice does not come from one day’s coldness. The current status in the situation in Ukraine is an outcome of the interplay of complex historical and present factors. To solve complex issues, calm and rational thinking are all the more needed. The wanton use of sanctions will not help solve the issue, but will create new problems. Escalating sanctions have already seriously affected and will continue to seriously affect global finance, energy, food, transportation, supply chains and other fields, hampering the already fragile world economy amid the pandemic, and bringing serious and negative impact to people's livelihood, developing countries in particular.

We once again call for greater diplomatic efforts by the international community to de-escalate tensions and immediate bring the Ukrainian issue back to the track of political settlement.

Thank you, Mr. President.


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