Barth Eide does not think China will succeed as a peace broker

In February, China presented a proposal for a peace plan for Ukraine, which large countries such as Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia have also signed up to.

The plan consists of twelve points and advocates, among other things, holding a peace conference in which both Russia and Ukraine participate.

Russia was not invited to the international peace conference held in Switzerland in June, and China then chose to stay away.

Don’t want compromise

The Chinese authorities recently asked for increased international support for their plan, but will not immediately get it from Norway, says Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide to NTB.

During a visit to South Africa last week, he discussed, among other things, the Chinese peace push with his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola.

– I emphasized that it is good to have peace, but that it is also important that you get a fair peace, says Eide.

– When Norway supported the ANC’s fight for freedom and democracy, we did not advocate a compromise between the apartheid regime and the ANC. We took a stand against apartheid, says Eide.

– In the same way, we believe that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an obvious violation of international law, and we do not want a compromise between Russia and Ukraine, he says.

Must be principled

– We want a peace solution in line with the basic principles of international law, namely that states’ sovereignty and integrity must be respected, says Eide.

He has previously accused countries that criticize Russia’s occupation, but tacitly accept Israel’s occupation, of being duplicitous.

– That is why it is important that we are principled. As far as Ukraine is concerned, we must assume that it is Russia that has committed a crime of aggression and that Ukraine is the victim, he says.

– The fact that Norway has a clear position when it comes to Palestine makes it more interesting to listen to us because many other Western countries have double standards when it comes to Ukraine and Gaza, Eide believes.

Should be clearer

China and other countries are welcome to try their hand at peace brokers, emphasizes the foreign minister.

– But China, South Africa and Brazil should be clearer that Russia’s behavior is unacceptable, and we also tell them that when we meet them, he says.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi this summer congratulated Eide on Norway’s recognition of Palestine when the two met in Laos.

Eide replied that recognition was right in principle, but that it had been a difficult political process for Norway, which considers itself a friend of Israel.

– This must also be the case for China when you tell Russia that they have violated international law, I told him, Eide says.

Palestinian talks

China also recently gathered emissaries from 14 Palestinian groups for talks in Beijing, primarily in the hope of bringing about reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.

After the talks, China stated that an agreement had been reached to form a Palestinian unity government, but Eide denies that the agreement runs deep.

– China may play a role, but I have carefully read the announcement after the talks in Beijing. What they agreed on there, they have agreed on for a long time, he says.

– We know many of these groups, and what we hear is that the talks in Beijing did not bring anything particularly new, says Eide.

Doubts

Whether China can succeed as a peace broker at all, given the strained relationship between Washington and Beijing, Eide is doubtful.

– In principle, all countries can succeed as peace brokers. But it is historically a little more difficult for great powers, precisely because they are great powers. That has been Norway’s advantage, he says.

– But if what China is doing makes sense, then by all means, adds Eide.

On 9 September, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre begins a three-day visit to China, where he is scheduled to hold political talks with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang.