President,

I welcome Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen in chairing today's meeting. I thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher for their briefings, and I also listened carefully to the statement by Ms. Eva Khair.

The protracted conflict in Sudan has not only caused massive civilian casualties and displacement, but also severely undermined the country's development and affected the stability of neighboring countries. This tragedy must not continue. As the Sudanese people's yearning for peace grows ever more urgent, so does the responsibility of the Security Council and the international community. I would like to make four points.

First, we must do everything possible to promote a cessation of hostilities and end the fighting. The situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate, while fighting has flared up repeatedly in Kordofan and Blue Nile State. China calls on all parties to immediately cease hostilities, abandon the notion that victory can be achieved through force, and take dialogue and negotiation as the fundamental way to resolve differences. We urge the parties concerned to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law, stop attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and uphold the basic standards of human conscience. The international community should strictly implement existing sanctions, including the arms embargo, and oppose external military intervention that could exacerbate the humanitarian disaster.

Second, we must make sustained efforts to promote peace and dialogue. China welcomes the Sudanese Government's announcement that it will launch an inclusive political dialogue. We welcome the recent visit of the African Union Peace and Security Council delegation to Sudan, as well as the AU's efforts to reopen its liaison office in Khartoum. We support the United Nations in playing a central role in mediation. We support the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, Mr. Pekka Haavisto, in coordinating regional efforts of the African Union, IGAD and others, strengthening engagement and communication with all political forces, and working to find a lasting and effective political solution. The international community should firmly uphold Sudan's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, ensure ownership by the Sudanese people, and respect Sudan's history, culture and national conditions. More should be done to contribute to Sudan's long-term stability. External solutions must not be imposed, still less should the prospect of division be condoned or even fueled.

Third, we must address both the symptoms and root causes of the humanitarian crisis. We welcome the measures taken by the Sudanese Government to facilitate humanitarian access, and commend international humanitarian organizations for staying and working on the ground under extremely dangerous conditions. We support both sides in further strengthening coordination and cooperation to ensure adequate and smooth supplies of humanitarian assistance, and to mitigate risks such as food insecurity and the spread of disease before and after the rainy season.

While increasing humanitarian assistance, the international community should also help the Sudanese Government with reconstruction, accelerate the restoration of basic public services such as education, healthcare and communications, and strengthen economic resilience and capacity for sustainable development, so as to ease humanitarian pressures at their root.

Fourth, we must stand together to safeguard regional stability. Sudan is one of the African countries with the largest number of neighboring countries. The conflict has resulted in large cross-border flows of refugees, weapons and armed personnel, increasing security risks and economic burdens for neighboring countries. As a Chinese saying goes, close neighbors are better than relatives far away. All parties should uphold the principle of indivisible security, respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolve differences through friendly consultation, build greater mutual trust, prevent tensions from becoming intertwined and mutually reinforcing, and work together to promote regional stability and development. China has put forward the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa. We stand ready to actively support regional countries in maintaining close communication, pursuing friendly cooperation and seeking strength through unity, so as to jointly address security, development and governance challenges and work together to achieve lasting peace and stability, development and prosperity.

President,

The Security Council is currently discussing the renewal of the sanctions regime on Sudan. China has consistently stressed that sanctions are a means, not an end in themselves, and must not become a substitute for diplomatic efforts. The Council should use this special tool prudently, fully respect Sudan's sovereignty, take seriously the legitimate concerns of the country concerned, and ensure that sanctions measures are objective, fair and effective. The pressing task is to focus on better implementing the existing sanctions regime, and avoid arbitrarily expanding the intensity and scope of coercive measures in ways that could affect Sudan's long-term peace, stability and unity, or disrupt the normal economic and social activities of ordinary people in Sudan and other countries.

China stands ready to continue working with the international community, with firm conviction and accelerated action, to help Sudan emerge from the shadow of war at an early date and usher in the dawn of peace and development.

Thank you. President.