BEIJING, August 9. /TASS/. China’s authorities seek to prevent turning international talks on the Ukraine problem into a mechanism of putting pressure on Russia, Cui Heng, a lecturer at the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization training base for international judicial exchanges and cooperation, said when commenting on consultations on Ukraine in Jeddah and a telephone conversation following them between Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
It is appropriate for China to convey the dialogue's message to Russia, otherwise the dialogue would lose its value and become a mere Western "trial," Cui told the Global Times newspaper.
Russia's positive response toward China's actions serves as a genuine rebuttal to Western sensationalism, the expert said, noting that China's neutral stance and its role in facilitating the exchange of views among all parties have always been appreciated by the Russian side. The phone call is a timely communication between China and Russia after the Jeddah talks, he added.
On Monday, Wang Yi stated during a telephone conversation with Sergey Lavrov that Beijing has an independent position regarding the Ukrainian issue and is seeking a peaceful resolution. According to the Chinese diplomat, Beijing will actively promote negotiations and act objectively and rationally.
The consultations in Jeddah on August 5-6 were attended by representatives of more than 40 countries and international organizations including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Qatar, Great Britain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, as well as the United Nations. According to the DPA news agency, the initial plan was to discuss only Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s "peace plan"; however, another initiative was announced by the host country, Saudi Arabia, along with several other countries.