The Chinese government on Friday said it had “serious reservations” over the United Nations Security Council’s resolution authorising a no-fly zone and air strikes to protect civilians in Libya.
“We oppose the use of force in international relations and have some serious reservations with part of the resolution,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said in a statement.
China, along with India, was among a group of five countries in the 15-member council that abstained from voting on the resolution. A 10-0 vote backed the resolution, which called for “all necessary measures
[notwithstanding the previous arms embargo] to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory”. The resolution also expressed the UN’s “grave concern at the deteriorating situation, the escalation of violence, and the heavy civilian casualties".
The resolution, drafted by Britain, France and Lebanon, was also supported by the United States, despite its earlier reservations. Besides India and China, Russia, Brazil and Germany abstained from voting. While Russia is a permanent member of the UNSC, Brazil and Germany, like India, are currently serving terms as non-permanent members.
UNSC divided on issue
At a briefing on Thursday, Chinese officials said the UNSC was sharply divided over the issue, with many countries, including China and Russia, objecting to military intervention.
Ms. Jiang said China “and some countries” abstained from voting on the draft resolution “considering the concern and stance” of Arab and African countries. She called on the UNSC to “respect Libya’s sovereignty, independence, unification and territorial integrity.”
“The current crisis in Libya should be resolved through dialogue and by other peaceful means,” she said. "We expect Libya to restore stability at an early date and avoid an escalation of armed conflicts and worsening humanitarian crisis."
Keywords: UNSC, UN Libya resolution, Libya unrest, no-fly zone, Chinese Government
Again, US and it's allies are making a stupid decision just like what they did in Iraq. China and Russia made the right decision to abstain. War in Libya is almost over because the rebels are being cornered. But. lo and behold, here is US and UN acting moronic by escalating and worsening humanitarian crisis in Libya. The US will just divide the country. The rebels whom the befriended will be their next enemy just like Bin Laden. Why not the US just let those rebels in Libya who divide their country perished. I hope someday US will lost it's military might and be divided into several tiny countries.
Let them drop the first bombs who have NOT sinned.A long time ago, the Stuarts renounced their divine right to rule England. It is time now for the Anglo-Americans to renounce their divine right to rule the rest of the world by bombing and by military force; it is time now for the Anglo-Americans to renounce their self-appointed, self-glorified role as international policemen. In the case of Iraq, they imposed a no-fly zone after the first gulf war of 1991, destroying Iraq's air forces, air defences and military capabilities. Once the demolition of Iraq's capacity for self-defence was accomplished, the Anglo-American ruling clique fabricated charges of production and possession of weapons of mass destruction against Iraq; mounted an illegal invasion of the ancient civilisation of Tigris and Euphrates; conducted sham elections; installed western puppets in Baghdad; and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ensured that Iraqi oil was made available to the westerners leaving the Iraqis in desperate living conditions. It is NOT difficult to envisage how the Anglo-American plot is evolving now. First, they accuse Col Quaddafi of using violence against his own people (which national government allows their people to use violence against the State? Look at the recent history in the UK how they deal with IRA or alleged Muslim terrorists; or, Guantanamo camp of the USA). Then the Anglo-Americans encourage the Libyan dissidents with secret British SBS visits to Benghazi to plot against the Libyan Arab Jamahariya; bamboozle the Arab League and the UN Security Council into passing a resolution to provide a legal cloak to enforce a no-fly zone.From now, Libyan will be pulverised (just as in Iraq); excuses will be found for mounting an illegal invasion of Libya(just as in Iraq); sham elections will be conducted under UN auspices (just as in Iraq); will install a compliant, subservient bunch of Libyan thugs to replace the Quaddifi thugs in the name of freedom and democracy; and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, the Libyan oil will flow to the west for the benefit of the BP's, Exxon's, Halliburtons etc.Our spineless diplomats and politicians have lost an excellent opportunity to help the people of Libya to evolve at their own political and economic pace - just as we are doing in our own excruciatingly long drawn-out process.Let us not make any mistake as to how the Anglo-American international policy is evolving. If and when it suits them, they may very well accuse India (as well as China and Russia) of suppressing our own people (Kashmir, Tibet, Chechenya) to dismember the emerging economies from establishing themselves.
This is a clear violation of a country's sovereignty under the guise of protecting the Libyan civilians,the British ,US and France with others should be ashamed of themselves because they have sent the world a clear message how desperate they can become when it comes to crude-oil issues...How can you save Libyans by striking them?
Lybia must solve its own internal problems without foreign or millitary intervention .A peacefull means of resolving this issue must be reached
Isn't protecting the lives of people (especially innocent civillians) the priority of everyone.I believe that is what the U.N was voting for and I for one support the U.N's decision. I'm still not quit sure what China's 'Serious Reservations' is all about.
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