Chinese envoy stresses importance of fighting terrorism in Syria

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for stronger measures to fight terrorism in Syria.

Terrorist forces are increasingly active within Syria, which is worrying, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council.

Reports are indicating that foreign terrorist fighters were major perpetrators of the violent incidents in the western coastal area in March and in Sweida in the south in July. Continued condoning of terrorists will only bring greater harm to Syria and other countries in the region, he warned.

"We urge the Syrian interim authorities to take strong measures to resolutely counter all terrorist organizations designated by the Security Council, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party," he said.

The purpose of the Security Council's sanctions related to Syria is to counter the terrorist forces within Syria and to maintain peace and security in the country and the region, Fu said.

With regard to adjusting the sanctions regime related to Syria, the Security Council should consider the current counter-terrorism and security situation in Syria, the capacity of the Syrian interim authorities, and the possible implications of such adjustments, among others, in a comprehensive manner, and should make judicious decisions based on a careful study, to prevent the terrorist forces in Syria from exploiting the situation and gaining strength, he said.

The security situation in Syria remains fragile, with armed conflicts occurring from time to time. It is the responsibility of the Syrian interim authorities to protect the legitimate rights and interests of all Syrians, he said.

Investigation reports on the violence in the western coastal area should be made public at an early date. There should be an investigation into the violent incidents in Sweida, with accountability ensured through a transparent, credible, and responsible process. All parties in Syria should work in the same direction to jointly maintain stability and avoid triggering a new conflict, he said.