China lays out opposition to sanctions on South Sudan
February 28, 2015 (NEW YORK) – China’s ambassador to the United Nations on Friday stated his opposition to a resolution paving the way for sanctions on the South Sudanese warring parties, advising to support them to reach a peace agreement instead of punitive measures.
UN Security Council members are discussing a US-drafted resolution establishing a mechanism allowing to impose sanction against those blocking peace and promoting violence in South Sudan since December 2013.
Jieyi said the two warring parties have reached agreement on 90% of the negotiated issues and keep talking of the difficult remaining issues power sharing and the structure of the new government.
“We hope that they would reach agreement at an early date and actually implement the agreement,” he said.
Since last year, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which mediates South Sudan peace talks warned it may seek approval from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to impose sanctions on the warring SPLM factions.
In a meeting held in Khartoum last January to discuss the South Sudanese conflict, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated his support for the IGAD efforts to bring peace there.
“If the parties in South Sudan can join hands and move forward in a brave way, peace is attainable; if they stall, peace will fade away; if they backpedal, there will be no hope at all,” said Wang.
After his return from Moscow on 18 December, South Sudanese foreign affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, told reporters that Russia opposed to the Security Council sanctions against his country.
“We discussed specifically the issue of sanctions which is being talked about and we were assured by the Russian Federation Minister of Foreign affairs that Russia will not support any sanction against the republic of South Sudan,” Marial said.
(ST)