China Accuses West of Seeking Civil War in Syria

A state-run Chinese newspaper has accused the United States and other western nations of seeking to stir up a civil war in Syria by offering support to the opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.

In a commentary published on Monday, the People's Daily also warned that in the event of a civil war in Syria, foreign military intervention will likely be required.

If Western countries continue to fully support Syria's opposition, then in the end a large-scale civil war will erupt and there will be no way to thus avoid the possibility of foreign armed intervention, the commentary stated.

The editorial further alleged that the recent resolution by the United Nations Security Council to force Assad from power – a measure that both Russia and China vetoed – would have led to only more bloodshed in Syria.

(The UN resolution endorsed a similar plan by the Arab League, which Syria rejected).

Meanwhile, The Global Times, another state-controlled Chinese newspaper, said that Beijing would prefer to have the Arab League mediate the Syrian crisis. The newspaper also asked Syria’s government and opposition to engage in meaningful dialogue to put an end to the violence that is believed to have killed more than 6,000 people since the revolt erupted last March.

Foreign military intervention in Syria could be extremely dangerous, suggested U.S. military officer General Martin Dempsey, due to Assad’s “sophisticated, integrated air defense system and chemical and biological weapons, according to Voice of America.

A Chinese diplomat met with Assad on Saturday and supported his proposal for a referendum next weekend that would provide for a new constitution and multi-party parliamentary elections within three months.

Meanwhile, two Iranian warships which crossed into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal over the weekend are believed to have docked in the Syrian port city of Tartous. Iran’s Press TV claimed that the vessels are providing training for Syria naval forces in accordance with an agreement from a year ago.

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor said: Iran invests a lot in trying to save the Syrian regime, by advising them, by supplying equipment, by sending people and maybe by also sending these ships through the Suez Canal.”

Aside from Russia and China, Iran is Syria’s only other ally in the world.

Russia and China have both come under heavy criticism for their refusal to move against Assad from not only western nations but also some Arab nations, most notably Saudi Arabia.