Interview: China's proposal reflects new vision on Palestinian issue: envoy

（Xinhua）  10:23, June 04, 2013  

CAIRO, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The four-point proposal made by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Middle East conflict reflects the diplomatic vision of China's new leadership, Chinese special envoy to the Middle East Wu Sike said here Monday.

President Xi made his four-point proposal during his meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in early May in Beijing.

"The Arab states highly appreciate the Chinese four-point proposal and China is willing to cooperate with Arab states to push the Middle east peace process," Wu told Xinhua in an interview during his visit to Egypt as part of his Mideast tour.

Xi's four-point initiative stresses the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the coexistence of Palestine and Israel, negotiations as the only way for peace, principles such as "land for peace" and the Arab Peace Initiative to advance the peace process and the international community's guarantees and commitments to the progress of the peace process.

"The proposal represents an important diplomatic action of the new Chinese leadership," Wu told Xinhua, adding Xi's proposal shows that China will not sit idly by concerning the Middle East conflict.

"China's proposals on resolving the Middle East hot issues come directly from its higher leadership as China is a permanent UN Security Council member and a valued state of high sense of responsibility," said the Chinese envoy.

Wu said that China's position on the Palestinian cause is highly esteemed by Arab states, including Egypt and Jordan, and by the Arab League.

On Monday, Wu held talks with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi on the ongoing Syrian conflict as well as the stalled Middle East peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

"Arabi said that China backs justice and provides strong support for the number one issue in the Arab world," Wu told Xinhua.

He noted that all concerned parties expressed the hope that China would play a greater role in the issue via positive communication with the Israeli side to promote a peaceful solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

With regard to the Syrian conflict, Wu said that China from the very beginning supported a peaceful solution.

An international conference on Syria sponsored by the United States and Russia is expected to be held in Geneva later this month to find a peaceful, political solution to the Syrian crisis. The conference aims to revive a previous one held in June 2012 in Geneva that called for an immediate cease-fire and the launch of inter-Syrian dialogue for a transitional government.

"China sees that Geneva II conference is necessary and that Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and all concerned Syrian parties should take part in the conference," Wu said. "China's position is clear: it requires the international community to create momentum for a political solution to the crisis."