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The total number of Syrian refugees has reached 2.6 million, according to the UNHCR [Xinhua]
“The two countries hold that the threat of forces or external military intervention is absolutely unacceptable,” read the statement.
The joint statement signed by the foreign affairs committees of China’s National People’s Congress and Russia’s Federation Council has stressed that negotiation is the only feasible resolution to the crisis.
“Turmoil, civilian casualties, refugee flows, ruin of cultural heritage and other tragic events have made the crisis one of the most horrible tragedies in the world”, it said.
The people of China and Russia hope for an early settlement to the crisis, the restoration of peace and an end to the bloodshed, added the joint statement.
China and Russia condemned any use of chemical weapons in Syria and called for an objective United Nations probe.
“The two countries are worried about reports of the use of chemical weapons and support an accurate and objective international investigation into reported incidents and refer the survey report to the Security Council of the United Nations”, said the statement.
“We welcome the decision of Syrian leaders to join the Chemical Weapons Convention as well as the Russia-US framework agreement on resolving the issue of Syrian chemical weapons”.
The people and legislative institutions of China and Russia hope for an early convening of the second international conference on Syria in Geneva, it said.
Dialogue and the willingness of seeking compromise is the only way out to resolve the crisis, relieve the severe calamities of the Syrian people and avoid more negative changes in the Middle East situation, the statement said.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres, and promised Russia would allocate $10 million in aid for Syrian refugees and displaced persons.
The Syrian crisis, which broke out in March 2011, prompted a massive influx of Syrian refugees into neighbouring countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.
According to the UNHCR, the total number of Syrian refugees has reached 2.6 million – most are located in Jordan and Lebanon.
Source: Agencies
