The situation in Syria is deteriorating and the likelihood of a full-scale civil war is increasing, as fighting between the Syrian government and opposition intensifies and the "Friends of Syria" have agreed to recognize the opposition Syrian National Council as a "legitimate representative".

Particularly worrying is the willingness of some nations to provide arms to the Syrian opposition and the willingness of the United States to involve itself in the Syrian chaos rather than letting Syrians end the violence with a minimum loss of life.

Washington has tried to hold China and Russia accountable for the ongoing violence in the Middle East nation while portraying itself as the friend of democracy and freedom. Yet in reality the US involvement is only prolonging the bloodshed and making it harder to reach a peaceful solution.

At a news briefing after the "Friends of Syria" conference on Friday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton once again bad-mouthed China and Russia, accusing the two of "opposing the desires of the Syrian people" and of "denying the Syrian people the right to choose their own leader".

With these words, Clinton ignored the biggest aspiration of the Syrian people: to put an end to the violence and restore their country's stability.

What the majority of Syrian people want is a peaceful return to their everyday lives. This is also what China seeks. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has made active efforts to broker talks among the various Syrian factions.

Despite its efforts to brand itself as the "protector" of Arab people, the US' conduct lacks any moral backing. History is sure to be the judge of the US' interventions into the internal affairs of the Arab world and it will show they have brought disaster to the local people. The violence in Iraq is a persistent reminder.

China has a deep and long-established friendship with the Arab world and China respects Arab people's choice of their own development path. It is a friendship that has survived the tests of history and it will not be easily broken.

(China Daily 02/28/2012 page8)