Pope's envoy urges joint efforts to resolve Ukraine conflict at talks in China

ROME. Sept 14 (Interfax) - The Pope's envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, has noted the importance of joint efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict during his visit to China, the Vatican's press service said.

Zuppi met with China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui, it said.

The talks focused on "the conflict in Ukraine and its dramatic consequences, emphasizing the need to combine efforts to encourage dialogue and find paths that lead to peace," the Vatican News website quoted a Vatican statement as saying.

The parties also discussed food security, "with the hope that the export of grain [as part of the Black Sea grain initiative] can soon be guaranteed, especially to the countries most at risk," the document said.

As previously reported, the cardinal is visiting Beijing from September 13 to September 15.

Zuppi visited Kiev in early June, Moscow in late June, and Washington in July.

In August, Pope Francis said it was necessary to find creative solutions to resolve the Ukraine conflict.