MOSCOW/ BEIJING, (SANA)- Russia welcomed the appointment of the former Algerian Foreign Minister, Lakhadr Brahimi, as the UN new envoy to Syria succeeding Kofi Annan.

Russia Today TV quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying in a statement on Saturday that "Moscow welcomed appointing Lakhadr Brahimi as the UN envoy to Syria," adding that Brahimi is known as a veteran diplomat and someone with a great experience in peace missions.

The statement cited Brahimi's chairmanship of UN missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Haiti.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it expects that Brahimi will base his work on the plan of his predecessor Kofi Annan, the agreements reached at the Action Group meeting in Geneva and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

It expressed hope that contacts continue with all the parties in Syria and work goes on for stopping the violence as soon as possible and starting political dialogue, affirming Russia's readiness for cooperation with the new envoy towards bringing the crisis in Syria to an end.

Meanwhile, Russia expressed hope that Brahimi will participate in the forthcoming meeting of the international Action Group on Syria which was delayed on the request of the Western countries after it was scheduled on Friday.

Russia Today website quoted Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin as saying in statements in New York on Friday that the meeting of the Action Group on Syria was scheduled to discuss a draft statement that set up a certain point of time for all the Syrian sides to end violence and start dialogue.

Churkin pointed out that some members of the group showed readiness to attend the meeting and discuss our document while the Western members said they are not ready citing different pretexts and reasons.

The Action Group on Syria was scheduled to hold a meeting on the ambassadors level at the UN with participation of Russia, China, Britain, US, France, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the European Union.

China Hopes Lakhdar Brahimi Continues Efforts to Resolve Crisis in Syria through Political Means

China hoped that the new UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi continue resolving the crisis in Syria through political means, implement the plan of his predecessor Kofi Annan and Geneva recommendations to push towards a peaceful, just solution.

"China welcomes appointing the Algerian former Foreign Minister as a successor of Annan .. and hopes that he would continue solving the crisis in Syria through political way.. Beijing also urges all sides concerned to stop violence as soon as possible," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said on Saturday.

Xinhua quoted Qin as saying at a press conference in response to a question "China will effectively cooperate and back Brahimi efforts for a political mediation in this regard."

English Bulletin