Ukraine: Pakistan’s Khan suggests China, Islamic states try to mediate conflict
- Prime Minister Imran Khan tells Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ‘we should think about how to mediate, how to bring about ceasefire’
- Foreign ministers of Muslim nations and China’s Wang Yi began meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, at a time Khan battles serious challenge to his rule
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has suggested that close ally China and Islamic countries mediate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and try to bring about a ceasefire.
Foreign ministers of Muslim nations began meeting in Pakistan on Tuesday as Khan trumpets his Islamic credentials while at the same time battling the most serious challenge to his rule in four years.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is holding the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers with more than 600 delegates attending, including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as a special guest, in Islamabad. He is there despite Beijing being criticised for its treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang province.
“May I suggest that OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) during its discussion with foreign ministers, we should think about how ... we can mediate, how we can bring about the ceasefire,” Khan told the meeting.
“I want to discuss how, maybe OIC along with China, we can all step in and try to stop this conflict which is going to have, if it keeps going the way it is, it would have great consequences for the rest of the world.”
Khan’s comments came hours after China and Pakistan echoed concerns about “spill-over effects of unilateral sanctions” on Russia, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry.
China has not condemned Russia’s invasion, although it has expressed concern about the war.