BEIJING, March 29 (APP):China on Friday rejected accusations that it was sheltering ‘terrorists’ by putting
a technical hold on the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee and said it put forward the hold to provide relevant parties enough time and space to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the issue through dialogue and consultations.
“At the UNSC sanctions committee, the practice of putting hold is in line with the stipulations of the committee,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Gen Shuang said during his routine briefing held here.
Explaining further, he said it is not China that put the most holds at the committee and questioned, “If certain countries accuse China of sheltering terrorists by putting such technical holds, does that mean that all countries that put holds are sheltering terrorists? If this makes sense, then shall we say that the country that put the most holds is the biggest shelter for terrorism?”
He reiterated that China recently put forward a technical hold to a proposal at the sanctions committee with a purpose to conducting a comprehensive and in-depth assessment so as to give enough time and space for the dialogue and consultations between the parties.
China, he said, had maintained close communications with the relevant parties to seek a proper settlement of the issue through dialogue, adding, “We hope this will be the common goal, worked by all members of UN Security Council,” he added.
To a similar question, he said that China stayed in close communications with all parties on the listing issue.
“Like, I said many times, we will act in a responsible and constructive manner to participate in discussions at the committee,” he added.
The spokesperson hoped to work with various parties so as to seek a proper settlement to the issue.
He remarked that the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council had detailed and clear stipulations and requirements for the listing issue and said what China had done, was in line with the requirement of the UNSC and rules of procedures of the committee.
“We will always be working in a constructive and responsible manner and stay in communication with relevant parties to seek a proper solution of the issue,” he added.
