China is against a forceful resolution to the Libyan crisis and warns against the escalation of the conflict, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said on Friday.
The statement came after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Thursday imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. The resolution stipulates possible military action against Libya except for ground forces unless Col. Muammar Gaddafi immediately stops violence against the civilian population.
China, along with Russia, Germany, India, and Brazil, abstained from the vote on the resolution, which was approved by the remaining ten UN Security Council members, including the United States, Britain and France.
“The Chinese side stresses that UN Security Council’s actions should be in line with the organization’s charter and existing international norms, respect Libya’s right for sovereignty, independence, indivisibility and territorial integrity, [and] resolve the existing crisis through dialogue and other peaceful means,” Jiang said in a statement.
“We are against using force in international relations,” the statement said.
The UN resolution, adopted after three days of consultations, authorizes “to take all necessary measures… to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamhariya, including Benghazi, while excluding an occupation force.”
Under the resolution, the UN member states will not authorize Libyan planes to take off, land or fly in their airspace, if the flight was not approved by the Security Council’s sanctions committee.
The no-fly zone regime would not apply to planes delivering humanitarian cargo and evacuating foreigners from Libya.
The resolution also freezes assets of Libyan oil companies and the country’s Central Bank.
A British government source earlier said that British forces could be in action over Libya as early as Friday.
Mass riots demanding the end of Gaddafi’s 42-year rule have been raging in Libya since mid-February. Gaddafi said on Thursday the confrontation between authorities and the rebellious opposition would end very soon.
BEIJING, March 18 (RIA Novosti)