The Leaders’ Efforts – Wu Sike begins Talks in Damascus

Links within blockquote added during translation – JR

SANA – Damascus

Syrian minister for external affairs and overseas Syrian nationals Walid Muallem met with Chinese special envoy for Middle Eastern issues at noon today. During the meeting, the two sides discussed China’s and Syria’s bilateral relations, how to develop cooperation in all fields, and how to advance them to strategic cooperation.

叙外交与侨民部部长瓦利德•穆阿利姆今天中午会见了中国中东问题特使吴思科。会见期间双方共同探讨有关中国与叙利亚的双边关系，以及如何发展各领域的合作，并将它提高至战略合作伙伴关系。

Minister Muallem described the effects of Syria’s current situation, and the pace of the reforms adopted by Syria’s leaders, aimed at satisfying the demands of the people, as well as the efforts made by Syria’s leaders to implement the reforms, such as the national dialog conference held in Damascus. He also gave an account of president Bashar al-Assad’s meeting with the Arab Ministerial Committee of yesterday.

穆阿利姆部长详细介绍了叙利亚当前局势的影响，以及叙利亚领导人所采取的改革步伐，其目的为了满足人民的需求，以及叙利亚领导人为实施改革所付出的努力，如：在大马士革举行国民对话大会。 另外，还向中国特使讲述了巴沙尔•阿萨德总统昨天与阿拉伯部长级委员会的会议结果。

Wu Sike emphasized China’s friendly relations with Syria. The Chinese side attached great importance to Syria’s security and stability, because Syria’s security and stability were also the entire Middle Eastern region’s security and stability. Wu Sike also rated the Syrian leaders’ efforts in this regard highly, in that they adopted dialog and following through on reforms to address the current crisis.

吴思科强调：中国与叙利亚的友好关系。中方非常重视叙利亚的安全与稳定，因为叙利亚的安全与稳定也是整个中东地区的安全与稳定。另外，吴思科高度评价叙利亚领导人在这个方面所付出的努力，其通过对话和完成改革来应对当前的危机。

Wu Sike emphasized that the two countries should continue their cooperation, concerning international forums. He also rejected any kind of external interference in Syria’s internal politics.

吴思科强调两国在国际论坛方面应继续合作。另外，拒绝任何外部势力干涉叙利亚内政。

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Related

» Al-Shara, al-Moallem Meet Sike, SANA (English), Oct 27, 2011
» SANA quotes Jiang Yu, October 27, 2011
» Professor of Propaganda, Now Lebanon, September 3, 2011
» The Reporter in the Rye, March 25, 2011
» Armtwists and Sanctions, Syria Comment, Nov 17, 2010

Wu Sike on his Way to Syria: Understanding and Support

Apparently one day after a press conference on Monday – as covered by China National Radio (CNR, the domestic radio service), foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu reappeared in a regular press conference, and commented on Syria, according to a China Radio International‘s (CRI) Chinese service report of today:

CRI report, correspondents Zhai Lei, Wang Ce: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu reiterated in Beijing on October 25 that China hoped that all Syrian parties would solve their differences by dialog and peaceful means, thus resolving the conflict.

国际在线报道（记者 翟磊、王策）：中国外交部发言人姜瑜25日在北京重申，中方希望叙利亚各方通过对话以和平方式解决分歧，化解矛盾。

On that day’s [October 25] regular press conference, Jiang Yu, mentioning the situation in Syria, said China hoped that the relevant parties in Syria would be able to attach most importance to the state’s and the people’s interests, dismiss violence, and avoid clashes and bloodshed. She said the Syrian government should actively implement its promised reforms, respond to the people’s legitimate demands, and all Syrian parties should take part in a peaceful process with a constructive attitude.

在当天的外交部例行记者会上，姜瑜谈到叙利亚局势时说，中方希望叙利亚有关各方能以国家和人民的利益为重，摒弃暴力，避免流血冲突。 她表示，中方认为叙利亚政府应该积极落实改革承诺，回应人民的合理诉求，叙利亚有关各方都应该以建设性的态度来积极地参与和平进程。

Jiang Yu also pointed out that in order to ease the situation in Syria, the international community should promote solutions of the differences through dialog and play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the entire Middle East.

姜瑜还指出，国际社会应该为缓和叙利亚局势、推动通过对话解决分歧以及维护中东地区的整体和平与稳定发挥建设性作用。

Xinmin Net (Shanghai) republished the report sixteen minutes after CRI.

Another four hours later, German news magazine Focus (Munich) put an article online:

Syria is getting under growing pressure from its remaining ally, China. On Tuesday, the People’s Republic asked the autocratic government in Damascus to end the bloodshed and “to comply with the legitimate demands of the people”. Shortly ahead of a visit by a an envoy from the communist country [to Syria], a spokeswoman of the foreign ministry in Beijing said that China hoped for an end to the violence and a peaceful dialog. No details about the [envoy’s] visit were given.

Syrien gerät immer stärker unter Druck seines verbliebenen Verbündeten China. Am Dienstag forderte die Volksrepublik die autokratische Regierung in Damaskus erneut auf, das Blutvergießen zu beenden und den „gerechtfertigten Forderungen des Volkes nachzukommen“. Kurz vor dem Besuch eines Gesandten des kommunistischen Landes sagte eine Sprecherin des Außenministeriums in Peking, China hoffe auf ein Ende der Gewalt und einen friedlichen Dialog. Details zum geplanten Besuch wurden nicht genannt.

China was moving away from its previous position, writes Focus. Less than three weeks ago, China and Russia had blocked a UN resolution which condemned Syria’s brutal action against the protest movement and stipulated sanctions.

According to Reuters, a Chinese envoy, Wu Sike (吴思科), will visit Egypt and Syria, from Wednesday through Sunday.

Wu Sike is an old expert when it comes to violence, and avoiding it.

Islamic countries from government to the people, all understand and support the measures the Chinese government took to maintain stability,

he said in August 2009, on a news briefing after a tour of Qatar, Algeria, Syria, and Iran. Back then, he was referring to the “7-5 incident” in Xinjiang.

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Related

» China urges Syria to positively fulfil…, Xinhua, Oct 25, 2011

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Wu Sike corrects some Biased Views

Maybe you sometimes wondered why the Chinese foreign ministry employs a special representative for the Middle East. And if you’ve never heard of him before, his name is Wu Sike (吴思科), and he’s actually pretty busy these days. It’s not so much because he’s going to bring peace to the holy land, but to because he’s teaching the muslims a bit of history. And if the muslims didn’t know (some Turks I know are somewhat cross concerning the 7-5 incident), Wu Sike has news for them:

“Islamic countries from government to the people, all understand and support the measures the Chinese government took to maintain stability.“

“伊斯兰国家从政府到人民，都对中国政府为维护稳定所采取的措施给予理解和支持.“

He made his brave statement on a news briefing after his return to Beijing on August 11, after touring Qatar, Algeria, Syria, and Iran. Let’s hope that this very small and insignificant misguided minority which took to the streets in Turkey will act in a more informed way from now.

China-GCC Summit: “Let’s be Partners in our Civilizational Rise”

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“The Chinese people see the Arab people as good friends”, then Chief State Councillor Wen Jiabao told his hosts during a visit to the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, thirteen years ago. A few months earlier, then Chinese special representative to the Middle East, Wu Sike, had told a press conference in Beijing that Islamic countries from government to the people, all understand and support the measures the Chinese government took to maintain stability.

To prove that, Xi Jinping held a summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (in the following: GCC) country leaders in Riyadh on Friday last week. Judging by the faces around the table, only God knows for sure how understanding and supportive the GCC leaders really are, but business is business, and maybe Arab heads of state and govenment never look happy during official appointments anyway. At any rate,

Mohammad Altowaim, a member of the Saudi Chinese Business Council, told the Global Times that he read Xi’s article carefully twice, and the second time he read it to his friends, he read it loud

China’s propaganda usually limits its posts on Twitter to trite feelgood quotes from their great helmsman, but Xi Jinping’s actual “keynote speech” was ambitious. How connective the interfaces of both sides, coined “highly complementary” by Xi, will turn out to be, remains to be seen.  But China’s reference point and litmus test – America – is showing promising signs: Washington is not happy, says CNN.

The following is my translation of Xi Jinping’s keynote speech, given at the China-GCC summit on Friday afternoon local time in Saudi Arabia. Links within blockquotes added during translation.

Esteemed Colleagues, Secretary General Nayef, Hello Everyone!
尊敬的各位同事，
纳伊夫秘书长：
大家好！

First of all, let me sincerely express my heartfelt gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its efforts in holding the first Chinese-Gulf-Cooperation Council countries’ summit. I’m very glad that we are getting together all at once, to discuss the development of Sino-GCC relations together.
首先，我谨对沙特阿拉伯王国为举办首届中国－海湾阿拉伯国家合作委员会峰会作出的努力表示衷心感谢。很高兴同大家齐聚一堂，共商中海关系发展大计。

China and the GCC countries share a history of nearly two-thousand years of friendly contacts. China and the GCC countries have maintained and valued peace, harmony, and sought the real knowledge of “Eastern wisdom”, along the ancient Silk Road. Ever since the GCC was established in 1981, China and the GCC have, for more than fourty years, written a brilliant work of unity and mutual help and win-win cooperation.
中国同海合会国家有近两千年友好交往历史。双方人民秉持重和平、尚和谐、求真知的“东方智慧”，沿着古丝绸之路往来不绝。1981年海合会一成立，中国即同海合会建立联系。40余年来，双方谱写了团结互助、合作共赢的灿烂篇章。

China and the GCC countries relations have, after all, achieved rapid development rooted in deep mutual trust. China and the GCC countries have always supported each others’ sovereignty and independence, respected each others’ paths of development, equality of big and small countries without exception, and firmly maintained multilateralism. Rooted in highly complementary [economies], with China’s vast consumer market and its perfect industrial system and with the GCC’s rich energy resources and increasingly diversified development, the two sides are natural cooperation partners. Rooted in popular sentiment, China and the GCC both belong to the Eastern civilization, with similar civilizational values and its peoples knowing each other well. Rooted in trials and tribulations lived through together, facing the challenges of international and regional instabilities and the financial crisis, the COVID-19 epidemic situation, and major natural disasters, the two sides have been in the same boat, keeping watch over each other.
中海关系之所以实现跨越式发展，归根于深厚互信，中国和海合会国家始终相互支持彼此主权独立，尊重各自发展道路，坚持大小国家一律平等，坚定维护多边主义。归根于高度互补，中国拥有广阔消费市场，工业体系完备；海方能源资源丰富，经济多元化发展方兴未艾，双方是天然合作伙伴。归根于民心相通，中海同属东方文明，文化价值相近，人民相知相亲。归根于患难与共，面对国际和地区风云变幻以及金融危机、新冠肺炎疫情、重大自然灾害等挑战，双方同舟共济，守望相助。

Colleagues!
各位同事！

Facing a century of turbulent changes, the GCC countries have united in their strife for self-improvement, have overcome the negative epidemic impact and achieved economic growth, actively promoted political solutions for regional hotspots and problems, promoted the GCC to become the Middle Eastern Gulf’s most vital regional organization, which is highly appreciated by China. At a historical crossroads, let’s contintue the good tradition of China-GCC strategic partnership, and substantiate the content of China’s and the GCC’s strategic relationship.
面对百年变局，海合会国家团结自强，克服疫情影响实现经济增长，积极推动地区热点难点问题政治解决，推动海合会成为中东海湾最具活力的地区组织，中方对此高度赞赏。站在历史的十字路口，我们要赓续中海友好传统，以建立中海战略伙伴关系为契机，充实中海关系战略内涵。

Let’s be partners in unity and continuously solidify mutual political trust, let’s firmly support each others’ core interests. Let’s jointly uphold the principle of non-interference, join hands for a genuine practice of multilateralism, and protect the numerous developing countries’ common interests.
——做共促团结的伙伴。我们要不断夯实政治互信，坚定支持彼此核心利益。共同维护不干涉内政原则，携手践行真正的多边主义，维护广大发展中国家共同利益。

Let’s be jointly-planning¹ partners. Let’s strengthen strategic development interfaces, bring complementary advantages into play, and train the kinetic energy of development. China looks forward to cooperating with all parties to promote and implement global development initiatives, to implement the United Nations’ agenda for sustainable development, and to promote regional development and prosperity.
——做共谋发展的伙伴。我们要加强发展战略对接，发挥互补优势，培育发展动能。中方期待同各方一道推进落实全球发展倡议，落实联合国2030年可持续发展议程，促进地区发展繁荣。

Let’s be partners in building security together. China will continue its firm support for GCC countries’ protection of their security, its support for the region’s countries in solving disagreement through dialogue and consultations, and in building a Gulf security framework. GCC countries are welcome to participate in global security initiatives and in upholding regional peace and stability together.
——做共筑安全的伙伴。中国将继续坚定支持海合会国家维护自身安全，支持地区国家通过对话协商化解分歧，构建海湾集体安全架构。欢迎海合会国家参与全球安全倡议，共同维护地区和平稳定。

Let’s be partners in our civilizational rise. We should enhance communication between our peoples, enrich cultural exchanges, learn from each others’ outstanding civilizational products, promote the eastern civilizations’ profound marrows, and make positive contributions to humankind’s civilizational development and progress.
——做共兴文明的伙伴。我们要增进民心相通，丰富人文交流，借鉴彼此优秀文化成果，弘扬东方文明深厚精髓，为人类文明发展进步作出积极贡献。
Colleagues!
各位同事！

During the coming three to five years, China would like to make efforts with the GCC countries in the following major fields of cooperation:
未来3到5年，中国愿同海合会国家在以下重点合作领域作出努力：

Firstly, let’s build a new pattern of three-dimensional energy cooperation. China will continue to import great quanitities of crude oil from GCC countries, broaden its imports of liquified natural gas, strengthen upstream oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and cooperation in engineering services and refining logistics. Full use should be made of Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange, and the settlement of accounts in RMB should be developed. Hydrogen power, energy storage systems, wind and solar energy, intelligent electrical networks and other cooperation on clean and low-carbon energy technology as well as localization of new energy source equipment should be developed. A Sino-GCC forum for the peaceful use of nuclear technology as well as a Sino-GCC demonstration center for nuclear safety should be established, and 300 technical talents from GCC countries be educated in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
第一，构建能源立体合作新格局。中国将继续从海合会国家持续大量进口原油，扩大进口液化天然气，加强油气上游开发、工程服务、储运炼化合作。充分利用上海石油天然气交易中心平台，开展油气贸易人民币结算。加强氢能、储能、风电光伏、智能电网等清洁低碳能源技术合作和新能源设备本地化生产合作。设立中海和平利用核技术论坛，共建中海核安保示范中心，为海合会国家培养300名和平利用核能与核技术人才。

Secondly, let’s make headway in financial and investment cooperation. China would like to cooperate with GCC countries to develop financial-supervision cooperation, facilitate GCC countries’ access to the Chinese capital market. establish sovereign wealth funds with GCC countries, and launch cooperation in numerous ways. Let’s explore and hold Sino-GCC industrial and investment cooperation forums. Let’s strengthen cooperation in the fields of investment in the digitized economy and in green development, and establish bilateral mechanisms for investment and economic cooperation. Let’s work on the interchangeability of our own currencies, deepen digitized currency cooperation, and promote the multiple central bank digital currency bridge project.
第二，推动金融投资合作新进展。中国愿同海合会国家开展金融监管合作，便利海合会国家企业进入中国资本市场。同海方成立共同投资联合会，支持双方主权财富基金以多种方式开展合作。研究举办中海产业和投资合作论坛。加强数字经济和绿色发展等领域投资合作，建立双边投资和经济合作工作机制。开展本币互换合作，深化数字货币合作，推进多边央行数字货币桥项目。

Thirdly, let’s expand new fields of cooperation on innovative technology. China would like to establish a big-data and cloud-computing center with GCC countries, strengthen 5G and 6G technological cooperation, jointly establish a number of innovation and startup incubators, and ten projects around cross-border e-commerce and communications infrastructure. Let’s establish a cooperation mechanism for meteorological cooperation between China and the GCC and hold research Sino-GCC research forums on climate change.
第三，拓展创新科技合作新领域。中国愿同海合会国家共建大数据和云计算中心，加强5G和6G技术合作，共建一批创新创业孵化器，围绕跨境电商合作和通信网络建设等领域实施10个数字经济项目。建立中海气象科技合作机制，举办中海应对气候变化研讨会。

Fourthly, let’s achieve new breakthroughs in space cooperation. China would like to carry out a series of cooperation projects concerning remote-sensing and communications satellites, space applications, and space infrastructure. Let’s select the best astronauts² for training. China welcomes GCC austronauts to the Chinese space station, to carry out scientific experiments on flights together with Chinese austronauts. GCC austronauts are welcome to participate in China’s Chang’E, Tianwen, etc. transport cooperation. and in the establishment of a Sino-GCC moon-probing and space-probing center.
第四，实现航天太空合作新突破。中国愿同海合会国家在遥感和通信卫星、空间应用、航天基础设施等领域开展一系列合作项目。开展航天员选拔训练合作，欢迎海合会国家航天员进入中国空间站，同中国航天员联合飞行并进行空间科学实验。欢迎海方参与中国嫦娥和天问等航天任务的搭载合作，研究成立中海联合月球和深空探测中心。

Fifthly, let’s build cooperation highlights in language and cultural cooperation. China is going to cooperate with 300 GCC universities, middle- and elementary schools for Chinese-language education to establish 300 Chinese-language classrooms, to provide 3000 “Chinese Bridge” summer (or winter) camps, establish Chinese Learning and Testing Centers and online Chinese classrooms. Let’s hold Sino-GCC language and cultural forums, build humanities exchange and mutual-learning and bilingual data bases.
第五，打造语言文化合作新亮点。中国将同300所海合会国家大中小学合作开展中文教育，同海合会国家合作设立300个中文智慧教室，提供3000个“汉语桥”夏（冬）令营名额，建立中文学习测试中心和网络中文课堂。举办中海语言文化论坛，共建中海人文交流和互鉴双语文库。

Colleagues!
各位同事！

China and the GCC countries all shoulder their own responsibilities in the mission of rejuvenated national development. The Sino-GCC relations are both old and young. Let’s connect the past and the future, advance hand in hand, and jointly initiate the beautiful future of Sino-GCC relations!
中国和海合会国家各自肩负民族发展振兴的光荣使命，中海关系既古老又年轻。让我们继往开来，携手奋进，共同开创中海关系美好未来！

Thank you all!
谢谢大家！

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Notes

1	共谋 (gòngmóu) is actually a rather negative verb – to scheme, to conspire, etc.. “Jointly plan” is also a possible translation, but by far the nicest one among a rather nasty lot.
2	Chinese-English nomenclature: taikonaut

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Related

How to speak to Pakistan, April 22, 2015

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Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Iran, “thanks to a Friendly Attitude and Unique Wisdom”

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif signed an agreement on a strategic partnership for the duration of 25 years, a deal that, the BBC believes, could give Iran more leverage with the US. While Iran is an important trading partner with even more potential for China, Zarif’s bow to Wang Yi (which apparently isn’t reciprocated) might indicate who needs who more urgently.

Washington reportedly evaluates if a $400 billion investment deal also signed by the two sides “will trigger sanctions under American law”. A day after the signing ceremony, Iran’s foreign radio reported that “major American papers and news outlets have warned about decline in the United States’ power and sphere of influence”.

The following is a translation of a commentary by a People’s University scholar in the Beijing Daily (北京日报), published on April 2 local time and UTC. Links within blockquotes added during translation.

SETV (Fujian) coverage – click photo for details

Main Link:
With the Sino-Iranian 25-years comprehensive cooperation agreement, the “road of Mideast diplomacy with Chinese characteristics” is becoming ever broader (中伊25年全面合作协议，“中国特色中东外交之路”越走越宽)

In the past few days, a Sino-Iranian comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement for the duration of 25 years has been officially signed. This is the first time that Iran has signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with any foreign country, and an important milestone in Sino-Iranian relations.

近日，为期25年的中伊全面合作协议正式签署。这是伊朗首次与外国签署全面战略合作协议，也是中伊关系的重要里程碑。

In 2016, China and Iran established a comprehensive strategic partnership. At the time they also jointly confirmed their intention of achieving this kind of comprehensive cooperation agreement. For five years, there have been high-level exchanges of opinion, a strengthening consensus, and finally the achievements as mentioned above. In the author’s view, the two countries’ movement into the same direction is also a microcosm of China’s Mideast diplomacy. Thanks to a friendly attitude and unique wisdom, we have opened a “road of Mideast diplomacy with Chinese characteristics” within the complicated international relations.

2016年，中伊建立全面战略伙伴关系，当时便共同确认了达成这项全面合作协议的意向。五年间，两国高层多次交换意见、强化共识，最终促成了上述硕果。在笔者看来，中伊两国长期的相向而行，也是中国中东外交的一个缩影。凭借友好态度与独特智慧，我们在中东纷繁复杂的国际关系中开辟了一条“中国特色中东外交之路”。

China has always upheld the spirit of the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence”, which has won it the wide-spread recognition of Mideast countries. When China recovered its legitimate seat at the United Nations in 1971, the overwhelming majority of Mideast countries firmly supported China’s legitimate claim. After the “One Belt one Road” initiative had been proposed, the Middle Eastern countries responded positively. During this period, China established comprehensive strategic partnership relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, as well as strategic partnerships with Qatar and Jordan, and an innovative comprehensive strategic partnership with Israel. It can be said that China’s Mideastern “friendship circle” keeps widening.

中国在外交中一直秉持“和平共处五项原则”精神，赢得了中东国家的广泛认可。1971年中国恢复联合国合法席位时，绝大多数中东国家都坚定支持了中国的合法诉求。“一带一路”倡议提出后，中东国家更是积极响应。在此期间，中国与伊朗、沙特阿拉伯、埃及、阿拉伯联合酋长国建立了全面战略伙伴关系，与卡塔尔、约旦建立了战略伙伴关系，与以色列建立了创新全面伙伴关系。可以说，中国的中东“朋友圈”越来越大。

As everyone knows, the Middle East region is located centrally within the Eurasian continent, with numerous countries, complex situations, thickets of contradictions, and traditional interference by foreign powers. Big-power games and internal clashes have kept the Mideast region in war and chaos for a long time, with the economy developing only slowly. Therefore, Mideast countries have a skeptical attitude towards many foreign powers. Why does China have such a good reputation? In its diplomacy, China advocates tolerance and setting mutual example rather than civilizational concepts of bipolar antagonism. China and Mideastern countries, including Iran, have different civilizational backgrounds and political and economic environments, but we have never looked at this as something “other”, but looked at them as those who once established splendid civilizations, and which went through thick and thin with New China, who kept watch and defended one another as good partners. This concept of “goodwill, sincerity and tolerance” as well as China’s diplomatic practice of “non-aligned partnership” has led the politically and geographically troubled Mideastern countries to relax precautions and to develop still deeper and closer development with China.

众所周知，中东地区位于亚欧大陆中心位置，国家众多，形势复杂，矛盾丛生，长期以来频频遭受域外大国的干预。大国博弈和内部冲突让中东地区长期战乱，经济发展缓慢。因此，中东国家对很多域外大国都带有怀疑态度。为什么中国能够做到有口皆碑？正在于我们在外交中倡导包容互鉴而非二元对立的文明观念。中国与包括伊朗在内的中东国家有着不同的文化背景和政治经济环境，但我们从未将其视为“异类”，而是看作曾创立过辉煌文明，又与新中国甘苦与共、守望相助的好伙伴。这种“亲诚惠容”的理念，以及中国“结伴不结盟”的外交实践，让深陷政治地理困境的中东国家可以放下戒备，与中国开展更加深入密切的合作。

The official signing of the agreement is only a beginning, and the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Iran continues to grow stronger. From a wider perspective, China’s Mideast diplomacy also merits expectations: The “One Belt one Road” initiative is advancing steadily, China’s talks on free-trade agreements with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and with Israel are unfolding, Notable achievements have been made in China’s vaccine cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iran and other countries, China plays a growing role in the Syria issue, the Palestine-Israel issue and other Mideast hot spots … We have reason to believe that the “road of Mideast diplomacy with Chinese characteristics” is becoming ever broader.

合作协议正式签署只是一个开始，中伊两国全面战略伙伴关系还在不断加强。以更大视野来看，中国的中东外交也值得期待：“一带一路”倡议稳步推进，中国与海合会六国、以色列的自由贸易协定谈判正在开展，中国与阿联酋、巴林、伊朗等国的疫苗合作取得显著成就，中国正在叙利亚问题、巴以问题等中东热点问题中发挥越来越大的作用……我们有理由相信，“中国特色中东外交之路”将越走越宽。

(The author, Li Kunze, is a doctor at the People’s University’s¹⁾ School of International Studies.)

（作者李坤泽系中国人民大学国际关系学院博士）

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Notes

¹⁾ aka Renmin University
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Related

Promising profits, Febr 19, 2018
The Persian paradox, Foarp, Jan 27, 2012
Trusted brothers, Nov 8 2009
Wu Sike corrects biased views, Aug 17, 2009

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China’s low Profile: As Close as They can

Links within the following blockquotes were added during translation / quotation — JR
Kerry Brown, a professor of Chinese politics at the University of Sydney, recently asked in an article for the BBC if China’s “non-interference policy” was sustainable.

Although China’s global influence had grown during the past decades, Brown wrote,

[..] Chinese leaders still stay as close as they can to the principles of peaceful coexistence and non-interference set out by Zhou Enlai. Despite the fact that the world has changed so radically in this time, these principles are useful because they avoid China being dragged into situations that overstretch and challenge it, they avoid it being pushed into a corner where it can be painted as a foe of the US and the rest of the developed world, and they allow it to continue focusing on its own formidable internal development issues.

Indeed, China’s profile remained low in the Syrian conflict, so far, and seemed to follw Russia’s diplomatic wake rather than pursuing a globally visible role of its own (which does not necessarily mean that Beijing sees eye to eye with Moscow on each and every issue).

At the same time, not only foreigners wonder where China is when it comes to the current crisis (or its recent defusing). Domestic Chinese press does describe China’s position at times, not least to keep face-conscious readers happy, probably.

Xinhua newsagency, for example, carried an interview with China’s special Mideast envoy Wu Sike (吴思科) on September 10 this year. Excerpts:

The Syrian “chemical weapons” issue is confusing, and it hasn’t yet been possible to determine who is right and who is wrong, I have once lived in Syria for four years, and my impression of the locality was very good. Before the chaos caused of the war, it was a society of moderate prosperity [or a moderately well-off society], with many historical relics, and very friendly people. But now, according to UNHCR statistics, the number of refugees who fled abroad has surpassed two million, with one million of them children, and six million people are displaced within Syria. These aren’t just numbers; this is the suffering of homeless Syrian people who even lost loved ones. Who wants to be responsible for aggravating their crisis?

虽然叙利亚“化武”问题扑朔迷离，孰是孰非迄今尚无定论。我曾经在叙利亚生活过4年，对该地区印象很好，那里在战乱之前处于小康社会，历史遗迹很多，人民非常友好。
但是目前根据联合国难民署提供的数据，目前逃往国外的叙利亚难民已超过200万，仅儿童难民数量已超过百万，叙利亚境内还有600万人流离失 所。这些不仅仅是一个又一个的数字，而是一个个被迫流离失所甚至失去亲人的叙利亚人民的苦难。有谁能背得起加剧叙人道危机的责任？！

[…..]

Wu Sike describes his role in Mideast diplomacy:

Last year in December, I took part in a conference in Bahrain, and the participating countries all thought that the United Nations should mediate. Now, America tries to be above international situations, which is a really high-handed behavior. But the intriguing thing this time is that America’s allies, such as Italy or Germany aren’t positive [about America’s approach]. Therefore, China unequivocally advocates opposition against military methods, and advocates political means to solve the Syrian conflict. War will only complicate the situation further, intensify contradictions and clashes, and is no way to solve the problem. Therefore, political means should be used for a solution.

吴思科：去年12月份我在巴林参加会议，与会的中东各国都认为应该由联合国出面进行斡旋调解，现在美国的做法是企图让一个国家凌驾在国际组织之上，是非常霸道的表现。
但是这次耐人寻味的是，美国的盟国如意大利、德国并不积极，因此中国明确主张反对用军事的方式，应该用政治的方式，去解决叙利亚的争端。战争只会让局势更加复杂，让矛盾冲突更加剧烈，不是解决问题的方法。因此应该用政治手段解决。

[…..]

The Mideast situation is complex. When I visited Cairo, Arab-League general secretary Nabil Elaraby believed that the current problem was that the Syrian government believes that they still have strong troops to overcome its opponents. But the opposition believes that if only they persist for another day, there will be people abroad who will support them. Neither side wanted to abandon military means to protect itself, and there’s an impasse. Under such circumstances, efforts by the international community are required. The UN have now started an investigation of the chemical-weapons incident. To go to arms before the investigation’s findings are published runs counter to the purpose of the “UN Charter”. All parties should wait for and respect the findings of the investigation.

中东地区的形势错综复杂，我在开罗访问的时候，阿盟秘书长阿拉比认为现在的难点是叙利亚政府认为自 己手中还有强大的军队，能够征服他的反对者。而反对派认为只要自己坚持一天，国外就有人会支持，双方都不愿放弃军事手段来保卫自己，这是一个死结。因此， 在这种情况下，需要国际社会的努力。
目前联合国已经开始对叙利亚化武事件展开调查，在联合国调查结果公布前就诉诸武力有悖于《联合国宪章》宗旨，有关各方应期待并尊重联合国的调查结果。

====================

Two years earlier (and this should not suggest that Wu Sike never talked again, prior to September this year), Wu Sike also commented on Mideast affairs. Back then, his Mideast and Syria comments were embedded in a broader picture of Chinese diplomacy.

Public Diplomacy Net was established on May 1, 2011, with former Chinese foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan, former chairman of the foreign aff airs committee of the “Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference” Zhao Qizheng, Commission for Africa member Ji Peiding and Chinese special Mideast envoy Wu Sike as the website’s advisors.

Soon after, in September 2011, Wu Sike was interviewed by the website, or responded to netizens’ questions. The main topic at the time was a white paper on China’s peaceful development, issued earlier that month on September 6, but as Middle-East special envoy, Wu was also asked questions related to the Middle-East peace process and the growing Syria conflict.

One of his answers further down in the following blockquote could count as an answer to the question at the beginning of this post, asked by Professor Brown, as to why China sticks to a low profile. The Chinese wording for “low profile” – or hiding your brightness and biding your time, depending on your translation, is 韬光养晦, is attributed to Deng Xiaoping.

Wu Sike’s answer to the first question of the interview is lengthy, and contains several paragraphs.

Main Link: http://www.pdcec.com/bencandy.php?fid=60&id=7964

Public Diplomacy Net (PDN) / Wu Sike (WSK)

PDN: Special Ambassador Wu, the information office of the state council published the “China’s Peaceful Development” white paper on September 6, please explain the main content of the white paper to our netizen friends.

公共外交网：吴特使，国务院新闻办公室于9月6日发表了《中国的和平发展》白皮书，现在请您向网友们介绍一下白皮书的主要内容。

WSK: The white paper on “China’s Peaceful Development” has received broad attention at home and abroad. It is the declaration of China’s peaceful development, a roadmap, with absolutely important significance. It provides, for the first time, a comprehensive and systematic explanation of China’s path of peaceful development, the strategy and foreign policies of China’s peaceful development. It states Chinese path of peaceful development, the goals of peaceful development, and actively responds to the questions about how China wants to apply its strength and foreign relations and similar issues.

吴思科：国务院新闻办于9月6日发表了《中国的和平发展》白皮书，引起国内外广泛关注。白皮书是中国和平发展的宣言书、路线图，有着十分重要的意义。白皮书首次对中国和平发展道路、和平发展战略和对外大政方针做了全面系统的阐释，表明了中国的发展道路、发展目标，并积极回应力国际社会关切的中国如何运用实力以及与外部世界的关系等问题。

The white paper explains China’s development path, and strategic direction still more comprehensively, systematically and clearly to the world. Peaceful development has become China’s national will. The white paper officially defines the conceptof “core interests“, it points out that China will resolutely protect its core national interests, including the country’s sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, national unity, China’s political system and general social stability as established by the constitution, the basic guarantees for sustained economic and social development.

白皮书向世界更加全面、系统、清晰地阐明中国的发展道路和战略走向。和平发展已经上升为中国的国家意志，白皮书正式界定了“核心利益”的概念，指出中国坚决维护国家核心利益，包括：国家主权，国家安全，领土完整，国家统一，中国宪法确立的国家政治制度和社会大局稳定，经济社会可持续发展的基本保障。

The white paper explains how the big country with its 1.3 billion people develops on the path of socialism, sums up its content and its characteristics, especially emphasizes that peaceful development is socialism with Chinese characteristics’ essential content, raises peaceful development to the rank of national will, turns it into the overall national development plan and fundamental policy, and implements domestic and external practice.

白皮书，阐述了这个有13亿人口的走社会主义道路的大国如何发展，这次把内涵及其特点进行归纳，特别是强调和平发展是中国特色社会主义道路的本质内容，把和平发展上升到国家意志，转化为国家的整体发展规划和大政方针，并且落实到对内和对外的广泛实践中。

China is a responsible big country, the white paper uses the “promote and build a harmonious world, maintain the standing-of-one’s-own-and-peace foreign polciies, advocates the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality [of states, apparently] and cooperation, an international concept of active international responsibility, pursuing good-neighborly regional cooperation concepts”, thus summarizing China’s peaceful-development foreign policy.  Among these, Active international responsibility has appeared in a public official document for the first time. Cooperation on environmental issues is discussed as an organic part of a harmonious world.

中国是负责任的大国，白皮书用“推动建设和谐世界，坚持独立自主和平外交政策，倡导互信、互利、平等、协作的新安全观，秉持积极有为的国际责任观，奉行睦邻友好的地区合作观”概括了中国和平发展的外交政策。其中，积极有为的国际责任观是首次出现在政府公开文件中；把环保合作作为和谐世界的有机组成部分进行论述。

Peaceful development is the national will. Therefore, as Chinese citizens, we need the concept of peaceful development to be reflected in our practical work. Also, we need to let the world understand the firm idea of China’s peaceful development.

和平发展是国家意志。因此，作为中国公民需要把和平发展的理念体现在我们的现实工作当中。另外，我们还需要让世界了解中国和平发展的坚定理念。

After studying the white paper, I felt that there needs to be a deepened understanding from two aspects:

研读了白皮书以后，我感觉要从两个方面加深认识：

One is that peaceful development is the call of our times. We can see from the world’s historical development that [a country’s?] strength leads to hegemony [or tyranny], and when a great power rose, it always replaced another great power by force, making both of them suffer. History has developed to a new era, and this road should be taken. In these times of globalization and rapid technological development, we should build a harmonious world with the methods of win-win. This is the requirement of global development and a certainty of historical development.

一是和平发展是当今时代的呼唤。从世界历史的发展过程中来看，国强必霸，历史上大国崛起，都是通过武力取代另一个大国，最后总是两败俱伤。历史发展到一个新的时期，这条路不应该走下去了。在当今经济全球化和科技高速发展的时代，应该通过合作实现共赢的方式共建一个和谐世界，这是世界发展的需要，也是历史发展的必然。

The second [aspect] is the fulffillment of “peace” as China’s concept with its great and far-reaching significance, as seen from China’s traditional culture. From ancient times, China’s philosophy has been about the “unity of nature and humanity”, that national characteristics [or identity] “values peace”, that there is diversity in harmony, about exploring inclusiveness, about open-mindedness, good-neighborliness and friendliness – this is the guiding spirit of China’s exchange with the outside world.

二是践行“和”之中国理念意义重大而深远。从中国的传统文化来讲。中国自古以来的哲学就是天人合一，民族特性都是“以和为贵”，和而不同，讲究包容性，有开放的心态，讲求睦邻友善，这是中国对外交流的指导精神。

[This para is an incomplete translation] The Silk Road which opened more than two-thousand years ago, has enriched our culture and development through trade and cultural interaction, agriculture and our species. It has made lives richer.

中国2000多年之前就有通向西域的丝绸之路，通过贸易和文化的互通有无带动中国的对外交流，也促进了我们中华文明的发展，农业发展上来说也丰富了我们的物种，使生活更加丰富。

More than six-hundred years ago, China’s famous navigator Zheng He took his seven voyages to the Western seas, to western Asia, eastern Africa, to thirty countries and regions. It was a big fleet, but they didn’t carry armed force. They carried concepts of friendship and peace. They promoted bilateral exchanges, and bequeathed us a much-told tale. Historically, China maintained an ideology that valued peace.

600多年前，中国著名航海家郑和七下西洋，到了西亚、非洲东部的30个国家和地区。船队阵容强大，但是他们没有带去武力，带去的是友谊、和平的理念，促进双方的交往，留下了历史的佳话。在历史上，中国就是坚持以和为贵的指导思想。

After the establishment of New China, we first issued the five principles of peaceful coexistence. This is both a fundamental policy in Chinese diplomacy and a manifestation of traditional Chinese civilization: mutual respect, no interference into each other’s internal affairs, etc.. After that, through our continuous development and changes, we have continuously enriched the five principles on their [own] foundation. In economic exchange, China maintains equality and mutual benefit and cooperational win-win. In terms of security concepts, mutual trust, hand-in-hand cooperation, it’s facing the traditional and non-traditional global security threats.  Another advocacy is a kind of green development concept, humankind’s common care for the earth, and environment protection.

新中国成立以后，我们最早提出和平共处五项基本原则。这既是中国外交的基本政策，也是中国传统文明的体现，互相尊重、互不干涉内政等。此后，随着我们不断的发展变化，在和平共处五项原则上不断地丰富其内容。在对外经济交往方面中国坚持的是平等互利、合作共赢的方针；在安全观方面，相互信任、携手合作、共同应对世界面临的传统和非传统的安全威胁。另外主张一种绿色发展观，人类共同呵护地球家园，共同保护环境。

PDN: This interview has attracted many netizens’ attention, many have asked questions, and in the following, we would like to ask special envoy Wu Sike for some answers.

公共外交网：本次访谈得到众多网友的关注，网友们提出了一些问题，下面就网友关心的话题请吴特使给予解答。

WSK: Fine.

吴思科：好的。

PDN: A netizen asks, which role is China playing in the Middle-East peace process?

公共外交网：有网友问，您认为中国在中东的和平进程问题中起到了怎样的作用？

WSK: The hot spot of the Middle East is a global concern. China’s regional peace and stability is also closely interrelated with global peace and stability. Therefore, China has always paid attention to the Mid-East situation, and has made unremitting efforts for Mid-Eastern peace.

吴思科：中东的热点问题是举世关注的，中国地区的和平稳定也是与世界的和平稳定密切相关，因此中国始终关注中东地区的形势，为推动中东和平进程作出不懈的努力。

PDN: What is the base line of “peaceful development”?

公共外交网：请问“和平发展”的底线是什么？

WSK: China’s peaceful development is our national policy. We will unservingly take the path of peaceful development, and also, the “white paper” has clearly defined China’s core national interests, which won’t waver in the least, either. Only when there is respect for the other side’s core interests, peace can be effectively protected, and sustainable development be put into place.

吴思科：中国的和平发展是我们的国策，我们会坚定不移地走和平发展之路，同时这个“白皮书”也明确界定了中国国家的核心利益，这也是不容丝毫动摇的，只有相互尊重对方的核心利益才能够有效维护和平，实现可持续发展。

[…]

PDN: What is your understanding of “hide your brightness, bide your time“?

公共外交网：您如何理解中国的“韬光养晦”？

WSK: To keep a low profile and to actively make a difference is an important principle of China’s diplomacy. To keep a low profile is no makeshift measure. China needs to achieve comprehensive rejuvenation, to make efforts for another long period, and in this process, we always need to be modest and prudent, learn others’ strengths, and while developing economically, we need to change the ways of development, achieve scientific development, and even if Chjna has developed strongly, we must maintain peaceful policies. That’s in the fundamental interest of the Chinese people, and in line with the interests of the peoples of the world.

吴 思科：坚持韬光养晦，积极有所作为，这是中国外交的一条重要原则，韬光养晦不是权宜之计，中国要实现全面复兴，还需要经历一个很长时间的努力，在这个过程 中我们始终需要谦虚谨慎，学习别人的长处，在经济发展的同时还需要转变发展方式，实现科学发展，即使中国发展强大了，也必须继续坚持和平的方针。这是中国 人民的根本利益所在，也符合世界人民的共同利益。

PDN: How does China pursue win-win in cooperation?

公共外交网：中国如何寻求合作共赢呢？

WSK: China has always adhered to the policy of cooperational win-win, and has explored this new method of cooperation. Cooperational win-win has created favorable conditions for our country’s economic development, and has also made a contribution to global economic development. As for myself, I have been involved in promoting Chinese cooperation with Arab and African countries, achieving cooperational win-win projects which are too many to enumerate. These projects have been mutually beneficial, this is cooperation needed by both sides, and they have ample prospects.

吴 思科：中国在对外合作方面一直遵循合作共赢的方针，并不断探索扩大这种合作的新的方式，这种合作共赢、共同发展的合作理念为我国的经济发展创造了有利的条 件，同时也为世界经济的发展做出了贡献。我本人就曾经参与推动中国和阿拉伯国家、非洲国家的合作，实现合作共赢的合作项目不胜枚举，这些项目都为双方带来 的共同利益，。这种合作是双方的共同需要，也有着广阔的前景。

PDN: What, in your view, are the main points about the China’s peaceful development “white paper”?

公共外交网：您认为本次发表的《中国的和平发展》白皮书中，最大的亮点是什么？

WSK: I think they are the clear definition of China’s core interests, at the same time explaining the six big characteristics of China’s peaceful development, which are scientific development, development standing on one’s own, opening up development, peaceful development, cooperation development, and common development. You could say that this is a high degree of summarization with strong guiding significance for what fits our national situation in the sixty years since the establishment of New China, and especially for the more than thirty years of reform and opening up.

吴 思科：我认为最大的亮点是明确界定了中国的核心利益；同时阐述了中国和平发展的六大特征，就是科学发展、自主发展、开放发展、和平发展、合作发展、共同发 展。可以说这是对新中国成立60年特别是改革开放30多年来我国探索适合自己国情发展道路实践的高度总结，有很强的指导意义。

PDN: As the Middle-East envoy, how do you see the current situation in the Middle East?

公共外交网：您作为中国中东问题特使，如何看当下的中东局势？

WSK: The Middle East is experiencing the biggest upheaval and change since more than half a century, with far-reaching effects to the region. In a situation of international change, big developments, and major adjustments, people there are seeking change, seeking development, improvement for the peoples’ livelihoods, and these are absolutely reasonable demands. We hope that some countries in the region can achieve peaceful change, find their own ways of development that fit into the new situation, soon achieve stability, with the fulfillment of the peoples’ demands. We also hope that in the Mideast hotspots, issues can be solved through negotiations, and peacefully, which is in the interest of all countries and peoples in the region, and also beneficial for global causes of peace and stability and development.

吴 思科：当前中东正经历近半个世纪以来最大的政治动荡和变革，对该地区正在产生深远的影响。在国际形势大变化、大发展，国际格局大调整的情况下，该地区的人 民求变革、求发展、求改善民生，这是完全合理的诉求。我们希望该地区的一些国家能够实现和平的变革，找到新形势下适合各自发展的方式，早日实现稳定，使人 民的诉求能够得以实现。同时也希望中东地区的热点问题能够通过谈判的方式实现和平解决，这既是该地区各个国家和人民的利益所在，也有利于世界的和平稳定和 发展事业。

[The following two questions and answers discuss the way China is seen from outside, the “China threat talk” (所谓中国威胁论), “cold war mentality”, hopes and fears about China’s development, etc, and China’s role in peacekeeping missions.]

In Praise of China’s “Just Mideast Position”

Chinese deputy foreign minister Zhai Jun (翟隽) will be in Syria on Friday and Saturday, according to  remarks by foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin (刘为民) on a press conference in Beijing on Thursday. The declared aim was to promote a solution to the Syrian crisis, to “try to make peace” and to “promote talks” (劝和促谈). On February 7, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov had been in Damascus and urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to move ahead with reforms Tuesday as a way to resolve Syria’s crisis. Some three days earlier, Russia and China had vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution draft supported by all other 13 permanent and non-permanent members.

According to the BBC‘s Chinese website, Zhai Jun met with representatives from Syrian opposition in Beijing last week. The Syrians were in Beijing on invitation by the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (中国人民外交学会), met with Zhai Jun on February 7. Two days after the meeting, on a foreign ministry press conference a week ago, spokesman Liu said that

The “organization”^*) explained its position concerning the current Syrian situation, praised the just position China had long upheld in Middle East matters, expressed their desire to strengthen communication with the Chinese side, and their hope that China would play a greater role to promote a path out of the crisis for Syria as soon as possible.
(代表团介绍了“机构”对叙利亚当前局势的看法及主张，赞赏中国长期以来在中东地区事务中所持正义立场，表示愿与中方加强沟通，希中方发挥更大作用，共同推动叙利亚早日摆脱危机。)

A detailed schedule for Zhai’s visit was still being arranged today (Thursday), according to spokesman Liu.

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Note

^*) The term “organization” or “body” (机构) is part of the Chinese name for the organization (全国民主变革力量民族协调机构). It seems to refer to the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change.

Update (Febr 16): the visiting delegation was indeed from the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change, aka Syrian National Coordination Body for Democratic Change.

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Related

» Responsibility to Protect, Febr 11, 2012
» The Leaders’ Efforts, October 27, 2011
» Trusted Brothers, November 8, 2009

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Enorth/CNR/DebkaFile: “Foreign Troops in Homs”

Enorth (Tianjin), February 2, 2010 –

According to China National Radio’s Central Broadcasting News, quoting Qatar’s Al-Jazeera Television of February 9,  the Syrian military continued its crackdown against centers of conflict in Homs for the fifth consecutive day, from early in the morning. At the same time, the West was producing its “plan B”, aimed at the Syrian problem.

据中国之声《央广新闻》报道，据卡塔尔半岛电视台2月9日报道，从当日凌晨起，叙利亚军队连续第五日对冲突核心地点霍姆斯展开大规模清剿行动。与此同时，西方已启动针对叙问题的“B方案”。

Okay, there America and other Western countries, bypassing the United Nations and the framework of the security council, with a so-called “plan B”, for solving the Syrian problem. Reportedly, the first step of “plan B” will be to completely block and besiege Syria, and in addition to diplomacy, carry out “wanton and indiscriminate humanitarian bombing” against Syria, to shake the Syrian authorities’ political confidence and foundations, such as all of them withdrawing their ambassadors, and expressing “vocal opposition, in speech and writing”, etc. The second step is to support Syrian opposition, to secretly or even openly provide oppositionals with arms, and to intensify their showdown with the government forces. In a third step, a “humanitarian corridor” is to be established in Syria, casting the shadows of possible military intervention.

好的，所谓“B方案”,即美国等西方国家绕开联合国，在安理会框架以外“解决叙利亚问题”的计划。据悉，“B方案”的第一步，是全面封锁和围困叙利亚，在外交上对叙利亚进行“人道主义的狂轰滥炸”，以动摇叙利亚当局的执政信心和执政基础，如各国撤回驻叙大使，对叙利亚进行“口诛笔伐”等；第二步，支持叙利亚反对派，秘密甚至公开向叙反对派提供武器装备，加大其与政府军的对决力度；第三步，推动在叙利亚建立“人道主义走廊”，为之后可能的军事干预做铺垫。

According to Israel’s “DebkaFile” website, special troops from Qatar and Britain have infiltrated Homs, providing training and advice for armed opposition there, and to guide Western air assaults that may follow. During the war in Libya last year, it was exactly such special Western forces landing within Libyan borders to start similar activities there. Concerning this, Russian foreign ministry spokesman Lukashevich said that Russia would check and verify the news from Israel, which were “deeply worrying”.

据以色列“戴伯客情报网”的消息，卡塔尔和英国的特种兵已经潜入叙利亚霍姆斯，为那里的反对派武装人员提供培训和充当顾问，并为随后西方国家可能的空袭做地面引导。在去年的利比亚战争中，就有西方国家的特种部队空降到利比亚境内，进行类似的活动。对此，俄外交部发言人卢卡舍维奇说，俄将核实以色列媒体的有关报道，这种报道“非常令人不安”。

According to Al-Jazeera on February 9, Turkey could become the “vanguard” of strikes against Syria. In accordance with a request from Turkish prime minister Erdogan, Russian president had a phone conversation with him and explained all Russian efforts to promote dialog and democratization in Syria. Reportedly, Turkey is currently preparing an international conference concerning the Syrian problem.

半岛电视台9日报道说，土耳其很可能会成为打击叙利亚的“急先锋”。应土总理埃尔多安的请求，俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫8日与其进行了电话沟通，介绍了俄在开启叙利亚各方对话并推动该国民主改革方面所作的努力。据悉，土耳其正在积极筹备召开有关叙利亚问题的国际会议。

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Related Posts

» First Foreign Troops, DebkaFile, Febr 8, 2012
» Special Middle East Envoy Wu Sike
» Erdogan: “Simply put, a Genocide”, July 11, 2009

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