BEIJING (Sputnik) – China hopes that its resolution to combat terrorist use of chemical weapons in Syria, drafted jointly with Russia, will be adopted by the UN Security Council (UNSC), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Thursday.
Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin said Wednesday that Moscow and Beijing had submitted the draft resolution to the UN Security Council.
"This draft expresses concern with the intent by terrorist organizations to use chemical weapons. China calls on all countries to demonstrate unity of the position, to oppose [terrorist use of chemical weapons]," Lu said in a daily briefing.
The Jaysh al-Islam group took responsibility for the shelling of Aleppo and stated that it had deployed "forbidden" weapons. The group, however, did not specify whether it used chemical agents.
Chemical weapons had reportedly been previously deployed by rebels groups in Aleppo. In early March, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) stated that Syrian opposition Ahrar ash-Sham Islamist group shelled the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood using white or yellow phosphorus munitions.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called for unanimous support for the draft resolution among Security Council members, and reiterated Beijing’s firm stance against the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances.
