Further efforts urged on Iran-US talks

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that there should be no turning back in Iran-United States talks, still less a return to the use of force, while voicing China's readiness to work with Pakistan to continue promoting talks and helping to restore peace, stability and development in the region at an early date.

Wang made the remarks during a phone conversation with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who briefed him on the latest developments regarding the agreement on the memorandum of understanding for the first stage of negotiations between Iran and the US. The memorandum is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.

Wang emphasized that now the door to peace has opened, it should not be closed again.

Noting that the Middle East has suffered deeply from war and that its people deserve peace, Wang said the current consensus is far from the end point, but rather is a new starting point, adding that lasting peace in the Middle East and the Gulf region still depends on the tireless efforts of all parties.

Dar thanked China for maintaining close communication with Pakistan over the past few months, and for providing valuable support for Pakistan's mediation efforts.

He said that Pakistan looks forward to continuing communication and coordination with China to sustain the current momentum for peace talks and jointly play a positive role in achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

Wang congratulated Pakistan on its efforts to help Iran and the US reach the first-phase memorandum, saying that working for peace is an international responsibility that should be shouldered by all countries.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, China has maintained contact with all relevant parties and actively worked to stop the fighting and promote peace, Wang said.

From the very beginning, China has firmly supported Pakistan's efforts and stressed to all parties that Pakistan is a trustworthy mediator, while also engaging separately with Iran and the US in its own way, he added.

Compared with the first stage, he said that the second stage of negotiations can be expected to face greater difficulties.

Wang called on the international community to provide further support for Iran-US negotiations and urged multilateral institutions, including the United Nations Security Council, to play a greater role.

China has consistently advocated that regional countries should take their future and destiny into their own hands, Wang said. He expressed the hope to explore, through dialogue and consultation, a peace and security architecture that is jointly participated in by all countries in the Middle East.

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn