Tuesday, 08 September 2020_In an implied rebuke of US' unilateral policies, China’s foreign minister says Beijing and Paris should work to promote multilateralism and safeguard major international agreements, such as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, in the face of unilateralism.
Wang Yi made the remarks in a Saturday meeting with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Paris, where he said the two sides “should strengthen coordination and cooperation on international affairs, and safeguard major outcomes of international agreements and multilateral diplomacy, such as the Iran nuclear deal.”
US President Donald Trump, a hawkish critic of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), unilaterally withdrew Washington from the agreement in May 2018, and unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against the Islamic Republic in defiance of global criticism.
Following its much-criticized exit, Washington has been attempting to prevent the remaining signatories from abiding by their commitments and thus kill the historic agreement, which is widely viewed as a fruit of international diplomacy.
Both China and France are among the remaining parties to the Iran deal.
Wang further took an indirect jab at the Trump administration for pulling the US out of major international and multilateral organizations and treaties, saying, “Unilateralism, including irresponsible withdrawal from international organizations or violation of international agreements, is unpopular.”
He added, “Without multilateralism, the multilateral mechanism and international order established since World War II will be seriously damaged, and small- and medium-sized countries will suffer a huge impact.”
Wang emphasized that “unilateralism is on the rise today as some countries ignore international agreements and refuse to fulfill their international obligations.”
The Chinese call comes amid yet another illegal US push at the UN Security Council to use a provision in the JCPOA to renew all UN sanctions against Iran, turning a deaf ear to calls by the remaining signatories that Washington is no longer a party to the deal and is in no position to do so.
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