by Ezra Van Auken
Spread Liberty News
On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council began meetings in order to find “solutions” for the Syrian crisis. Since the existing UN mission known as UNSMIS has a 90-day mandate, ending on July 20th. The mission’s goal was to observe the broken truce plan which Kofi Annan created specifically for Syria.
Russia has agreed to extend the 90-day plan before it expires but continue to reject any Syrian sanctions, which the Security Council discussed on Thursday. Specifically UN Article 7, giving approval to the Council for using actions against Syria including diplomatic and economic sanctions or military intervention.
Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Alex Pankin explained, “We are definitely against Chapter 7. Anything can be negotiated, but we do not negotiate this, this is a red line,” confirming the opposition to imposing force on Syria. In response to Russian comments Mark Lyall Grant, Britain’s UN Ambassador explained, “They would say that at this stage wouldn’t they,” showing negativity about Russia’s choices.
The Western-backed resolution will throw sanctions on Syria if the country does not remove military personnel from town roads. One diplomat who asked to remain anonymous said, “It’s frankly outrageous that the council would leave unarmed observers twisting in the wind and not use all the tools they have at their disposal,” referring to United Nations workers being put in jeopardy.
Regardless of Assad’s government killing innocent civilians, the United States-backed rebels have committed the same acts of violence. Since the end of NATO Summit in Chicago it has been reported US officials are funding weapons on the Turkish border. Leaving both sides of the aisle using force in some way to promote agendas, resulting in reckless war.
Related articles
- Syria Says Defecting Ambassador Is Fired (nytimes.com)
- Syrian opposition’s refusal of peace inappropriate – Pankin (english.ruvr.ru)
- Syria hit by diplomatic defection as UN battles divisions – Reuters (reuters.com)
- Syria hit by diplomatic defection as U.N. battles divisions (news.yahoo.com)
- Bashar al-Assad has discussed transitional government – UN envoy (guardian.co.uk)
- Diplomatic defection hits Syria as UN fights divisions – Reuters UK (uk.reuters.com)
- Over 200 massacred in Syrian govt forces attack -activists (dailystar.com.lb)
- Pressure on Assad as West plans Syria sanctions (thehimalayantimes.com)
- Syria fires defecting diplomat (upi.com)
