Envoy advocates for UN role in Ukraine humanitarian situation

A draft resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine failed to pass the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday.

Two council members, China and Russia, voted in favor of the resolution, while 13 others abstained. The draft resolution, proposed by Russia, needed at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the five permanent Security Council members: Russia, China, Britain, France or the United States.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, reiterated China's position on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and called on the Security Council to play its due role on the issue.

"We advocate that the Security Council should fulfill its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and play its due role in the humanitarian issue of Ukraine," Zhang said after the vote. "Like many member states, China has always called for avoiding civilian casualties to the maximum extent and making every effort to ensure basic humanitarian needs."

Zhang reiterated that China has put forward a six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and has provided several consignments of humanitarian relief supplies to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society.

"We welcome any initiative from others that can help alleviate and resolve the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine," he said.

The ambassador mentioned that over the past few weeks, the Security Council has had repeated consultations on the draft resolutions proposed by France and Mexico as well as the Russian Federation.

"China has actively participated in the consultations and has always called on all parties to focus on the humanitarian issue, transcend the political differences and do their best to seek consensus, so as to make positive efforts to address the current humanitarian crisis," Zhang said. "It is regrettable that the Security Council was unable to reach the broadest possible agreement in the end.

"It is the shared wish of the international community for an immediate cease-fire, which is also China's strong expectation," he said.

Zhang said while promoting a cease-fire, the Security Council "should also respond to the humanitarian crisis in a positive, pragmatic and constructive manner".

China's vote in favor of the draft resolution was "based on our call for the international community to attach high importance to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and for the parties concerned to strengthen coordination on humanitarian issues, so as to effectively protect the safety of civilians, especially women, children and other vulnerable groups and to facilitate the personnel evacuation and humanitarian relief operations", Zhang said.

"We welcome the coordinating role of the UN in humanitarian assistance," said the ambassador.

China supports the work of the coordinator for the Ukraine crisis and encourages agencies to take actions to mobilize the international community to provide humanitarian relief to all those in need, without discrimination, and to help resettle refugees and displaced persons in and around Ukraine, Zhang said.

"The principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality established by UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182 must be strictly observed in humanitarian relief operations," he continued.

Zhang said China adheres to an independent foreign policy and has always determined our position "in a responsible manner based on the merits of the matter itself".

"On Ukraine, China has always insisted that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, that the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously and that all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported," he stressed.

The key to the Ukraine crisis right now is for the parties concerned to show political will and find a proper solution through negotiations as soon as possible, Zhang said.

He said that the international community should create space for peace and leave room for a political solution. The top priority now is to call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid civilian casualties and prevent a larger-scale humanitarian crisis.

Zhang emphasized that the long-term solution lies in abandoning the Cold War mentality, refraining from bloc confrontations and gradually putting in place a balanced, effective and sustainable global and regional security architecture.

"China will continue to promote talks for peace, speak out for peace and do its best for peace," he said.