China says regional support boosts chance for Syrian solution

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Chinese Deputy Representative to the United Nations, Dai Bing, expressed on Thursday his concern over the lack of the transfer of aid to Syria in recent weeks in light of the massive earthquake that hit the country last month, calling on the United Nations to implement its pledges.

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Furthermore, Dai criticized the Israeli raids on the Aleppo airport, calling on the Israeli occupation not to repeat the offensives and highlighting the need for respecting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Syria's Aleppo International Airport was targeted Wednesday by Israeli missiles in the second act of aggression in weeks. Syrian news agency SANA confirmed that there were no casualties, and only material damages were reported.

The Syrian Transport Ministry said later in the day that due to damage as a result of Israeli aggression on Aleppo International Airport, operations have been suspended. 

The airport's runway and navigation equipment were damaged and destroyed in the attack, while all flights were being redirected to the airports in Damascus and Latakia.

This was the second act of aggression in weeks. SANA confirmed that there were no casualties and that only material damages were reported in the aftermath.

Read next: Aleppo Intl Airport suspends operations after Israeli missile attack

Furthermore, the top Chinese diplomat underlined that the partial lifting of the coercive unilateral sanctions against Syria would not suffice in relieving the country from the long-term damages it is suffering.

Dai also touched on the rapprochement between Syria and the United Arab Emirates, welcoming Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's visit to the UAE, as well as the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tunisia and Syria.

At a meeting on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reportedly told his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad that it was time for Damascus to be reintegrated into the wider Arab region.

Al-Assad’s visit to the UAE marks his second since the war on Syria. It follows an earlier visit to Oman back in February. 

Syria has been lately subject to initiatives of Arab affinity aiming at making political amends with the country they severed ties with.

"Syria has been absent from its brothers for too long, and the time has come for it to return to them and to its Arab surroundings," bin Zayed Al Nahyan told Al-Assad during a meeting at the presidential palace, according to WAM news agency.

China is looking forward to the results of the meeting between the foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, Russia, and Syria, the envoy said, highlighting Beijing's optimism that regional support would boost the chances for a solution to the crisis in Syria.

The Saudi Foreign Minister said last month that a consensus was gradually developing in the Arab world, and thus deliberating a new strategy toward Damascus would be necessary. 

Emirati analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said that the UAE "is convinced, along with many Arab states, that the time has come to reconcile with Assad... and see Syria return to the Arab League and the Arab fold."

"The UAE is spearheading efforts to reconcile with enemies of the past and transform them into the friends of tomorrow," Abdulla told AFP. 

Finally, Dai called on foreign powers to play a supportive role in the political efforts aimed at a solution in Syria and also called on those countries to stop using terrorists to achieve their goals, calling for no complacency in combating terrorism without discrimination.

Furthermore, he urged all illegal forces present on Syrian soil to leave the country and end the plundering of Syrian wealth.

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