Chinese FM urges world to resolve Mideast issues

BEIRUT, June 23 (KUNA) -- Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday urged the international community to resolve regional issues namely Palestine and Syria.
Speaking at a news conference with his Lebanese counterpart, Gebran Bassil, minister Yi said his nation, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, would pursue its "constructive role at the international quarters to resolve the hot issues in the Middle East and will seek to offer urgent humanitarian aid for the refugees scattered in countries of the region." The Palestinian refugees were among the first refugees in the world in modern times, he said, noting that the Palestinians have not been able to establish their independent state since 70 years ago.
Resolving the refugees' plight requires tension defusing and finding political settlement to the Palestinian and Syrian issues, he said.
Minister Yi said the Syrian question must be resolved with political means, namely implementation of the Security Council resolution 2254, urging the Syrian parties to put the interest of their nation above any other consideration.
For his part, Minister Bassil expressed deep concern at the ongoing Syrian refugees' crisis in the country saying the issue has turned into an "existential threat" to the country.
The refugees' return to their country is the sole solution to their problems, he added, noting that number of Syrians now is equal to half the number of the Lebanese (some four million).
Minister Yi arrived in the country earlier today, met President Michel Aoun and handed him a letter from the Chinese leader. (end) wsm.rk