Riyadh: China on Wednesday endorsed efforts to create an independent Palestinian state as Saudi Arabia hardened its accusations that Israel is preventing a settlement of the Middle East conflict.
"China will continue its support for the Palestinian effort to establish an independent state," Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on a visit to Riyadh.
Yang said at a news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal that China supports the principles of a two-state solution under the Saudi-driven Arab
Peace Initiative, which calls for an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders and with Jerusalem as its capital.
Saud, meanwhile, stepped up the rhetoric over Israel`s refusal to freeze the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and begin talks with the Palestinians.
"This is the longest conflict in modern times," Saud said.
"The reason why this conflict is long is the refusal by Israel of all the attempts to end this conflict. Arab countries have done their job with the Arab Peace Initiative, which gives Israel security, and gives the Arab countries the restoration of their lands.”
"But peace should be established by two sides, not just one side. If one side does not want peace, peace will not be achieved," he said.
PTI
