China rejects pressure to solve Syria crisis

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it does not approve of excessive reliance on pressure or sanctions to address the crisis in Syria and
reiterated its support for U.N. envoy Kofi Annan’s mediation efforts.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin made the comments at a regular briefing.

France will propose giving the United Nations the power to enforce Annan’s Syrian peace plan, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Wednesday, adding that a no-fly zone was an option under consideration to stem what it characterised as a civil war.

Liu did not reject the French proposal outright but signalled misgivings. [REUTERS]