4 Jun 2012

UN / LI BAODONG

Ambassador Li Baodong of the People’s Republic of China today expressed concern over the situation in Syria and full support for Kofi Annan’s six-point plan. He said that China’s position is not “to protect anybody against anybody” but to stop the violence and respect Syria’s sovereignty. UNTV

Posted at: June 4, 2012 4:34 pm

Duration: 02:32

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / LI BAODONG
TRT: 2.32
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 4 JUNE 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

4 JUNE 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Med shot, Baodong at the dais
3.	Wide shot, audience
4.	SOUNDBITE (English) Li Baodong, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations:
"We do not have the intention to protect anybody against anybody. What we really want to see is that the sovereignty of that country can be safeguarded and the destiny of that country can be in the hands of the people in Syria. And what the Council should do is to pursue the policy to safeguard the UN Charter."	
5.	Zoom out, photographer
6.	SOUNDBITE (English) Li Baodong, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations:
"There are two prospects, which one should we choose? The answer is obvious. We should pursue the bright future for the people in Syria, bright prospect for that country. How should we do that? First we should give full and firm support to Kofi Annan's mediation effort."	
7.	Med shot, photographer
8.	SOUNDBITE (English) Li Baodong, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations:
"We should safeguard the international non-proliferation regime and commit to promoting six-party talks and also promoting denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
9.	Med shot, reporter
10.	SOUNDBITE (English) Li Baodong, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations:
"We condemn the Coup d'état taking place in Mali and we believe that constitutional order should be returned to that country and now Mali is under a triple threat; the threat of armed insurgency, domestic crisis and the threat of terrorist groups."
11.	Med shot, audience
12.	Wide shot, end of conference

STORYLINE:

Ambassador Li Baodong of China briefed journalists today (4 June) on the projected work of the Security Council for the month of June.

Baodong told reporters that China, which holds the presidency of the Council for the month, is concerned over the latest developments in Syria, including the Houla massacre.

He said that China is not taking sides in the conflict and does not "have the intention to protect anybody against anybody."

The Ambassador stressed that China's policy is "to see is that the sovereignty of that country can be safeguarded and the destiny of that country can be in the hands of the people in Syria."

As far as the role of the Security Council, where China and Russia had vetoed an earlier resolution on Syria, he said that it should "pursue the policy to safeguard the UN Charter."

Baodong said that Syria faces two possible prospects, one of civil war and sectarian strife or a "bright future for the people in Syria, bright prospect for that country."

He added that in order to achieve the latter "we should give full and firm support to Kofi Annan's mediation effort."

The UN estimates that more than 9,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began 15 months ago.

The six-point plan put forward by Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan in March this year calls for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief to those in need, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue that takes into account the aspirations of the Syrian people, and unrestricted access to the country for the international media.

Turning to other matters, Baodong commented on the continued nuclear weapons activities by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

He said that "we should safeguard the international non-proliferation regime and commit to promoting six-party talks and also promoting denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

The six-party talks, which include the two Koreas, China, Russia and the United States, were initiated in 2003 after the DPRK's withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

On the recent coup d'état in Mali, the Chinese Ambassador said that "constitutional order should be returned" and pointed out that the African country "is under a triple threat; the threat of armed insurgency, domestic crisis and the threat of terrorist groups."

Nearly 320,000 Malians have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries or seek refuge in safer parts of Mali as a result of fighting that resumed in January in the country's north between Government forces and Tuareg rebels, the proliferation of armed groups in that region, and a deepening crisis due to a coup d'état in March, when rebel Malian soldiers took control of the country and announced the dissolution of the Government led by President Amadou Toumani Toure.