Washington - In his Washington office this week, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) held a frank and substantive meeting with Ambassador Liu Guijin, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government to Sudan. Menendez gave Ambassador Liu a list of specific actions the Chinese government can take to help end the genocide.
A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez has long pressed for increased action by the American and foreign governments to help end the genocide in Darfur. In July, the Senate passed a Menendez-Brownback resolution that officially urged the Chinese government to better use its unique relationship and leverage with Khartoum to help end the bloodshed (http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=280121).
"The meeting was a frank and honest exchange on the crisis situation in Darfur. I acknowledged to Ambassador Liu that China has taken some recent positive steps to become more proactive on this issue. I also made it clear that more must be done, and I outlined specific points on which China can take substantive action.
"China has unique leverage with Sudan because of their economic ties. The Chinese must recognize that with their unique leverage comes a unique responsibility.
"The ongoing genocide in Darfur is a human tragedy and horror. We must come together as a community of nations and a community of human beings to stop the bloodshed, and the United States and China can lead that effort. As the host of the next Olympics, China has a special opportunity and responsibility to end this tragedy."
Among the specific points on which Menendez pressed Ambassador Liu were:
· China must continue to support and push for the quick recruitment and deployment of the joint African-Union/United Nations peacekeeping force.
· China needs to clearly state to the Sudanese government that if it does not allow the joint force in, or obstructs progress towards peace, that it will hurt Chinese-Sudanese relations.
· China should consider suspending arm sales if Sudan is not cooperating.
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