1:23 PM ET, Feb 24, 2023
The EU ambassador calls on China “to fulfill its special responsibility” in the face of the Russian aggression.
By CNN’s Jake Kwon and Wayne Chang
China must live up to its responsibilities as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union ambassador in Beijing said on Friday.
EU Ambassador Jorge Toledo Albinana said at an event in Beijing that the permanent members of the Security Council have “a special responsibility that [UN] Charter in the face of this kind of aggression,” adding, “Therefore, we continue to call on our host country China to live up to its special responsibility.”
The 15-member Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. In addition to the five permanent members from the United States, Russia, France, China and the United Kingdom, 10 temporary members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
The UN was created to avoid “the very kind of brutality in Ukraine,” the Spanish diplomat said.
China’s position: In a news conference on Friday, Albinana said a 12-point document released by Beijing earlier in the day setting out its position on the war in Ukraine was “not a peace proposal” and its content was something “we already knew.” “.
“From what I’ve seen, there’s no mention of an aggressor, which is strange because it’s clear there is an aggressor, an aggression [that is] illegal and unprovoked, so that’s a bit worrying,” Albinana said.
In the document, China reiterated its calls for a political solution to the conflict, calling for a resumption of peace talks, an end to unilateral sanctions and emphasizing its opposition to the use of nuclear weapons
The EU will study the position paper carefully, said Albinana.