China is opposed to putting the Myanmar question on the UN Security Council agenda and is against isolating and sanctioning against the country, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Monday, stressing the events that happened inside Myanmar were its internal affairs.
"We believe that the events happened inside Myanmar are the internal affairs of Myanmar itself, which should be handled by its own government and people in consultation," Liu Zhenmin, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said at an open Security Council meeting on Myanmar.
The situation in Myanmar has not posed any threat to international or regional peace and security, Liu said.
"China has explicitly opposed the inclusion of the Myanmar question on the Security Council agenda. And we are against the policy of isolating and sanctioning against Myanmar," he told the 15-member Council. "That position of China has remained unchanged."
UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon briefed the Security Council at the meeting on his latest visit to the southeastern Asian country earlier this month, the second in just over a year.
Liu said China supports Ban and his special representative Ibrahim Gambari in their continued good offices on the issue.
"It is our sincere hope that the secretary-general's good offices will help Myanmar to achieve domestic stability and national reconciliation and that the United Nations will play a constructive role in helping Myanmar address its economic, social and humanitarian and human rights issues," said the ambassador.
He said that China has been and will be helping and facilitating the government of Myanmar and its efforts to address the problem in a responsible and constructive manner.
"As Myanmar's friendly neighbor, China will always provide assistance to the government and people of Myanmar within its capability," Liu said, calling on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other regional countries to join hands in helping Myanmar out of its current difficulties.
(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2009)
