Proposal by China, Brazil on Ukraine open to all

(WANG XIAOYING/CHINA DAILY)

Beijing has made an open gesture to other countries to join the latest proposal jointly put forward by China and Brazil that includes their six-point consensus on the Ukraine crisis' political settlement.

The proposal is addressed to the international community, and "we welcome more countries, both developing and developed ones, to support and join the consensus", China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

The two countries arrived at the consensus during the meeting between Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Celso Amorim, special adviser to the president of Brazil, in Beijing on Thursday.

"Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable way out of the crisis," said the Foreign Ministry's statement about the consensus. "All parties should create conditions for the resumption of direct dialogue."

Both sides also stated their support for "an international peace conference recognized by Russia and Ukraine at an appropriate time, with the equal participation of all parties, and fair discussion of all peace proposals".

They have asked for humanitarian aid to be stepped up, oppose weapons of mass destruction, and refrain from escalating or fueling the crisis.

The two nations also urged to avoid attacks on nuclear facilities for peaceful use, such as nuclear plants, and oppose exclusive political or economic blocs.

Analysts said the consensus came amid a full-blown escalation of the Ukraine crisis that is currently in its third year, with continued fighting and increasing spillover effects that could lead to the conflict's further escalation.

Six-point consensus

The spokesman said the six-point consensus "also represents the widespread concern and sincere desire among the vast majority of members of the international community to promote a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis".

China welcomes various countries to "jointly play a constructive role in cooling down the situation and promoting peace and negotiation", he said.

The spokesman noted that the international community widely recognizes that the most urgent task now is to cool down the situation and create more conditions for a cease-fire.

"Many developing countries, including China and Brazil, have called for an objective and impartial stance on the Ukraine crisis, and they all seek to further consolidate the consensus of the international community in order to seek the biggest common ground for making peace," he said.