The use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes. It will only exacerbate hatred and conflict. The sooner a ceasefire is in place, the less damage will be done, a Chinese envoy said.

UNITED NATIONS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday called for international efforts to promote talks to ease Israel-Iran tensions.

As the Israel-Iran military conflict enters its eighth day, it is distressing to see the conflict has resulted in a large number of civilian casualties and damage to facilities on both sides, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

If the conflict escalates further, not only will both sides suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also be severely affected, he warned.

Israel's actions violate international law and the norms of international relations, jeopardize the sovereignty and security of Iran, and undermine regional peace and stability. China unequivocally condemns this, he told an emergency meeting of the Security Council.

At this critical juncture, the international community should further forge consensus and make every effort to promote talks to ease tensions, he said.

Fu said there must be an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting.

The use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes. It will only exacerbate hatred and conflict. The sooner a ceasefire is in place, the less damage will be done. The situation in the region cannot be allowed to slide into an unknown abyss, he said.

"The parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating and to avoid any spillover of the fighting."

He stressed that the safety of civilians must be ensured.

The red line for civilian protection in armed conflict must not be crossed at any time, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable. The parties to the conflict must strictly abide by international law, resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians, refrain from attacking civilian facilities, and facilitate the evacuation of third-country nationals, he said.

The current conflict has interrupted the negotiation process on the Iranian nuclear issue. The attacks on multiple Iranian nuclear facilities set a dangerous precedent and could have catastrophic consequences, said Fu. "We must not waver in the general direction of a political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, and we must persist in returning the Iranian nuclear issue to the track of a political solution through dialogue and negotiation."

China welcomes the talks in Geneva between the Iranian foreign minister and his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany, as well as the EU foreign and security policy chief, said Fu.

The Israel-Iran conflict has led to a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East, and has had a serious impact on global security. Recently, the foreign ministers of 21 Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement, calling for a ceasefire, resuming talks on the Iranian nuclear issue, and maintaining lasting peace in the region. China fully supports the statement, he said.

The international community, especially major countries with special influence on the parties to the conflict, should make efforts to cool down the situation, rather than doing the opposite, said Fu.

The Security Council, as the primary body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, should play a greater role in this regard. China supports the council in taking necessary actions in a timely fashion, he said.

China stands ready to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all relevant parties, build synergies, uphold justice, and play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, said the Chinese ambassador.  ■