China steps up diplomacy on Libya crisis

Libyan Foreign Minister Abdelati al-Obeidi (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/183723.html

Libya's Foreign Minister Abdelati al-Obeidi has traveled to China amid China's increasing diplomatic efforts on the conflict in the North African country.

Al-Obeidi will stay in the Asian country until Thursday, where he is due to meet with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, AFP quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei as saying on Tuesday.

Earlier, Chinese diplomats went to opposition forces' headquarters in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi “to gain an understanding of the humanitarian situation and the situation for Chinese investing entities,” the foreign ministry said.

Chinese officials have held a meeting with the head of Libya's National Transitional Council which was founded to lead the Libyan revolution.

Beijing said on Friday that Chinese ambassador to Qatar Zhang Zhiliang has recently held talks with the Libyan opposition leader, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil. It did not, however, provide further information about the discussions as well as the time and place of the meetings.

China has called on both sides of the conflict in Libya to cease fire immediately and solve the problems politically, the Chinese spokesman said.

“We believe that the future of Libya will be determined by the Libyan people themselves,” Hong added.

China abstained from the UN Security Council Resolution 1973 which authorized the enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya by taking “all the necessary measures.”

Beijing has expressed concerns about NATO airstrikes in Libya, saying the attacks exceed the terms of the UN resolution.