China urges parties in South Sudan to stop fighting, form transitional govt

UNITED NATIONS - China urged parties in South Sudan to stop fighting and form a transitional government as soon as possible, said a Chinese envoy on Tuesday.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks at a Security Council meeting, in which the council members unanimously adopted a resolution to impose sanctions on those who would block peace process in South Sudan.

Noting the two parties in South Sudan, the government and the opposition, are under the good offices of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), holding political negotiations in Ethiopia, Liu said the resolution is to help IGAD in its push for an early breakthrough in the political negotiations.

"China sincerely hopes that the two negotiating parties will as soon as possible reach a compromise on the pending issues in order to take a crucial step in restoring peace and stability to South Sudan, as it is in the fundamental and long-term interest of the country and people of South Sudan," he said.

"We hope that the council's resolution 2206 will truly help achieve those goals," he added.

Liu also called on the international community to continue to give its vigorous support to the good offices by IGAD and support the countries in the region in playing their important role in addressing the issue of South Sudan.

"China is ready to join the interest parties of the international community in the unremitting effort for the promotion of peace, stability and development of South Sudan," he added.

The final session of South Sudan peace process led by the IGAD kicked off last Monday in Ethiopia's capital of Addis Ababa, which is expected to make progress and usher in a new era of peace in the country.

The IGAD has been mediating the South Sudan negotiations to end the conflict which erupted in mid-December 2013 in the world's youngest nation. Though the warring parties signed agreements under the auspices of the East African bloc, conflict continued in South Sudan, claiming lives and displacing citizens of the country.