UN delays voting until today
Source: Agencies |
July 19, 2012, Thursday
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The United Nations Security Council has postponed until today a vote on a Western-backed resolution that threatens Syrian authorities with sanctions in a bid to end the 16-month conflict, Russia's UN envoy said yesterday.
"A possible vote has been postponed until tomorrow morning," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters after a meeting of the envoys of the council's five permanent members.
International envoy Kofi Annan had requested the delay amid differences between Russia and the resolutions's Western sponsors over whether Damascus should be threatened with sanctions.
A vote was due to take place yesterday.
"Joint Special Envoy Annan has asked to delay today's draft Syria resolution vote. With fellow co-sponsors (of the resolution) we're considering that request," the British UN mission said.
The resolution, proposed by Britain, the United States, France and Germany, would extend a United Nations observer mission in Syria for 45 days and place Annan's peace plan under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows the 15-member Security Council to authorize actions ranging from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military intervention.
US officials, however, have said they are talking about sanctions on Syria, not military intervention.
Russia has said it would block the resolution because it does not believe it should be placed under Chapter 7. Russia and China have already twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions on Syria.
Russia has also put forward a resolution to extend the UN mission for 90 days, but it does not contain a threat of sanctions.
After council talks late on Tuesday on Russia's draft resolution, Britain's Deputy UN Ambassador Philip Parham said the Russians had not engaged at all in negotiations on the Western draft resolution. "But we're making very clear that we're very open to their engagement and if they did we would welcome that," he said.
"A possible vote has been postponed until tomorrow morning," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters after a meeting of the envoys of the council's five permanent members.
International envoy Kofi Annan had requested the delay amid differences between Russia and the resolutions's Western sponsors over whether Damascus should be threatened with sanctions.
A vote was due to take place yesterday.
"Joint Special Envoy Annan has asked to delay today's draft Syria resolution vote. With fellow co-sponsors (of the resolution) we're considering that request," the British UN mission said.
The resolution, proposed by Britain, the United States, France and Germany, would extend a United Nations observer mission in Syria for 45 days and place Annan's peace plan under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows the 15-member Security Council to authorize actions ranging from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military intervention.
US officials, however, have said they are talking about sanctions on Syria, not military intervention.
Russia has said it would block the resolution because it does not believe it should be placed under Chapter 7. Russia and China have already twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions on Syria.
Russia has also put forward a resolution to extend the UN mission for 90 days, but it does not contain a threat of sanctions.
After council talks late on Tuesday on Russia's draft resolution, Britain's Deputy UN Ambassador Philip Parham said the Russians had not engaged at all in negotiations on the Western draft resolution. "But we're making very clear that we're very open to their engagement and if they did we would welcome that," he said.
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