China, Saudi Arabia urge immediate cease-fire in Middle East

China urges all parties to the conflict in the Middle East to cease fire immediately, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo said on Friday.

In his meeting with Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, secretary-general of Saudi National Security Council, Dai said China is strongly concerned about the current situation in the Middle East, noting that the pressing matter for the moment is to realize cease-fire immediately so as to create conditions for a proper solution to the conflicts.

Dai said the ever escalating conflicts between Lebanon and Israel have severely undermined the security and stability in the Middle East. China is strongly concerned about the current situation.

China has been always promoting the peaceful negotiations and solutions through multiple ways, and has provided emergent humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, he said.

Israel launched a massive bombardment and limited ground assault on Lebanese Hezbollah after the Shiite militant group abducted two Israeli soldiers on July 12. The conflicts caused severe casualties of both sides.

Lebanese Minister of Public Health Mohammed Jawad Khalife said on Thursday that about 600 Lebanese civilians had been killed in the on-going Israeli massive assault in Lebanon.

Source: Xinhua