By, Jessica Elgot
1 min read
ByJessica Elgot, Jessica Elgot
China has confirmed it will oppose any discussion of the Goldstone Report at the meeting of the UN Security Council and attempt to block the report being used for war crimes trials.
The Chinese statement came during a visit of members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee to Beijing.
Committee chairman MK Tzachi Hanegbi had previously criticised the Chinese government for voting in favour of the report at the UN Human Rights Council meeting.
The report passed with 25 votes in favour and six opposed. Britain failed to vote.
Mr Hanegbi said he was pleased with the outcome of the visit to China, which was mainly concerned with discussing the Iranian nuclear issue.
He said: “Right now, China, Russia, and other states that endorsed the report understand that this must be the end of the road, because if the Security Council refers the matter to the International Criminal Court, it would have dire consequences for peace talks."
Mr Hanegbi also indicated there had been some difficulty with the Chinese position on Iran.
He said: ”We tried to explain that a nuclear Iran would undermine stability in the region and in the world, as it would lead to an arms race in the Middle East. That's why China must present a harsh policy on the Iranian front.”