Chinese envoy calls on Syrian parties to reach political solution

China will participate in the second round of the expanded international talks on the Syrian crisis in Vienna Saturday, calling for a political solution to ending Syria's four-year civil war, a Chinese envoy said Tuesday.

"We are at a critical moment of stepping up efforts to achieve a political solution of the Syrian crisis," Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, told Xinhua at the Security Council stakeout.

"There is no other solution than a political solution," Liu said. "It is imperative that various Syrian sides conduct, under the auspices of the United Nations, comprehensive, inclusive dialogue and consultations on an equal footing."

He also called on Syrian parties to "come up with an early agreement on the specific arrangements for the political solution of the Syrian crisis based on the Geneva Communique."

Stressing that "China has consistently supported and worked for such a political solution," the envoy noted that "the first Vienna meeting at the ministerial level on the Syrian question" is a positive development.

"We will continue to support the second ministerial meeting in Vienna and we hope that this meeting will carry forward the political process of seeking a solution by diplomatic means through negotiations of the Syrian issue," he said.

The Syrian Civil War started in 2011 between the president-led government forces and some radical opposition groups such as the al-Nusra Front and Islamic State.

The first Vienna meeting was held on Oct. 30, and 20 top diplomats from world and regional powers attended. Endi