Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met in Beijing Dec. 27 with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at the invitation of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. In addition to talks on implementing provisions of the Comprehensive Strategic partnership in effect in recent years, their discussion included the Southwest Asian turmoil. The Iranian Foreign Ministry summary of their discussions, issued today, presents five points of focus, quoted here in full:
“1-West Asia belongs to the people of the region and should not be a battleground for the games of great powers; it must not fall victim to the interests and geopolitical conflicts of countries outside the region. The future and destiny of the countries in West Asia should be determined by the people of the region themselves.
“2-The international community must respect the national sovereignty, security, stability, unity, and territorial integrity of the countries in West Asia; pay attention to the reasonable demands of West Asian nations; respect the sovereign decisions of the nations there; maintain respect for the history, culture, customs, and traditions of West Asian countries; and play a constructive role in strengthening peace and stability in the region.
