Chinese FM: China is ready to propose new ideas for peace talks, reaffirms commitment to the two-state solution and supports expanded role for the Geneva Initiative
In a Palestinian-Israeli Peace Symposium convened by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday 15th July – attended by an Israeli Member of Knesset, Palestinian officials, and the heads of the Geneva Initiative – Foreign Minister Wang Yi invited representatives from both sides to conduct the negotiations for peace, in China.
Minister Wang Yi said that China is ready to offer its own views and proposals to the parties, and added that his country’s efforts to promote peace will not cease until the Palestinian question is resolved.
“The past and the present have proved time and again that the two-state solution is the only viable way to resolve the Palestinian question as it represents international consensus, fairness and justice” he said, and called for an UN-led international peace conference attended by the permanent members of the Security Council and key stakeholders, “to put the two-state solution into practice and restart peace talks between the two sides.”
Recognizing the indispensability of local efforts in contributing to the improvement of conditions on the ground through the promotion of tolerance and the rejection of violence, FM Wang Yi acknowledged the need to expand the role of Israeli and Palestinian peace advocates.
“China supports the Geneva Initiative in playing a greater role and stands ready to provide assistance and engage in cooperation,” he said, and that it “will continue to invite young people from Palestine and Israel to China for exchanges and dialogue to sow the seeds of hope.”
Addressing the symposium, alongside other Israeli and Palestinian delegates, co-Chair of the Geneva Initiative Dr. Yossi Beilin said that, “declarations are not enough. The world supports the two-state solution. We know the parameters of the solution, but it’s not enough to simply agree upon this. The question is how to get there, and here, we need third parties like China.”
Palestinian Minister and senior PLO official Dr. Ahmed Majdalani said, “from today, we can implement a set of measures to build confidence between peoples, improve the humanitarian situation and open a real window for negotiations to end the conflict.” He expressed his firm commitment to expanding the peace camp in Israel and Palestinian in order to strengthen the channels for communication, partnership and exchange.
Read the text of of Minister Wang Yi’s remarks here.
