UNITED NATIONS, August 24. /TASS/. China hopes that all the parties concerned would agree on a visit by an International Atomic Energy Agency mission to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant as soon as possible, China’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, said on Tuesday.
"In the current circumstances, it is necessary for an IAEA mission to visit the Zaporozhye NPP as soon as possible in order to give a professional technical assessment of security at the plant and all the nuclear facilities there," the Chinese diplomat said at a Russia-initiated meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the situation around the power plant.
He pointed to what he said were positive statements about a potential visit by both Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that all the sides involved would be able to "overcome political hurdles, strengthen cooperation and would stick to an approach aimed at resolving issues and agree on the timing and details of a visit as soon as possible," Geng Shuang said.
The Chinese envoy did not mention the mission’s route, nor did he comment on the West’s calls to demilitarize the area around the nuclear facility.
He called for efforts to end the conflict as soon as possible so as to thwart any threat to nuclear facilities. The diplomat also urged the international community to push for a de-escalation, "to make diplomatic efforts towards finding a political solution and to support the sides’ progress to dialogue and negotiations for the sake of a ceasefire," he concluded.