By Stephen Asante
Accra, April 03, GNA – The Chinese and Pakistani governments have put forward a five-point initiative to end hostilities in the Gulf and Middle East amid the deteriorating security situation and mounting humanitarian crisis in the region.
The initiative, initialed by the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister, Wang Yi, and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, is calling for dialogue and diplomacy.
The proposal follows a meeting between the two officials in Beijing, China’s capital, to review the situation in the Gulf and Middle East Region.
“China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks,” a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, a copy made available to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, noted.
The United Nations (UN) has warned that the world was on the edge of a wider war with catastrophic global implications, following two months of intense fighting triggered by the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini by the United States and Israeli forces.
Amid the exchanges of missiles, Iran, in retaliatory attacks, had targeted vital civilian infrastructure, including airports, oil facilities, residential and commercial areas, fuel depots, service facilities and diplomatic missions, especially in the Gulf Region, claiming they were legitimate targets as those facilities were of interest to their enemies.
The statement urged the feuding parties to adhere to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.
“China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible,” it said.
The statement emphasised the need for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states to be safeguarded.
On the primacy of the UN Charter, China and Pakistan called for efforts to practise true multilateralism, jointly strengthen the primacy of the union, and to support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realising lasting peace.
This should be based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, the statement noted, adding that it was also of utmost importance to prevent the conflict from spreading.
World food prices climbed in March to their highest level since September last year and could rise further if the Middle East conflict that pushed up energy prices continued, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation has cautioned.
Meanwhile, the Amnesty International has issued an urgent call on all parties to protect civilians and adhere to international humanitarian law by ending unlawful attacks, such as deliberate, indiscriminate, or disproportionate attacks on civilians and civilians’ infrastructures.
Military operations in the embattled region have so far spread across and now involve more than 10 countries, resulting in significant loss of civilian life and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe