China: UN actions should help ease Syria tensions

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China says any action taken by the UN Security Council should help ease tensions in Syria. This comes as the Arab League intensifies pressure on President Bashar al-Assad over his regime's crackdown on protesters.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said: "We hope to work together with all parties to speed up the implementation of solutions agreed upon by the Arab League and Syria and seek a political resolution to Syria's crisis. As for whether or not the United Nations Security Council should take further actions, it depends on whether it will help ease the tension in Syria."

The Arab League foreign ministers issued the three-day deadline to the Syrian government, following their emergency meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.

They also announced they had asked a panel of experts to draft a plan for possible economic sanctions against Syria. The Arab League's announcement came as Syria's suspension from the regional organization took effect. It was first announced on Saturday, in a surprisingly harsh and unusual move for a member of Syria's standing.