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Russia blocks Syria chemical weapons inquiry
Russia vetoed a US resolution at the UN Security Council (UNSC) yesterday to investigate the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria.
The US-backed resolution would have re-established an international Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) to examine chemical strikes in Syria and to identify perpetrators.
Both Bolivia and Russia voted against the resolution, while 12 states voted in favour, including the US and UK, with China abstaining.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the UNSC before the vote: “This resolution is the bare minimum that the council can do to respond to the attack.” Haley also accused Russia of repeatedly shielding President Bashar Assad instead of working for Security Council unity.
An earlier Russian draft resolution was dismissed by Haley as “all about protecting the Assad regime,” because of provisions that would have required the Security Council to endorse its findings. In practical terms, this would have given Russia a veto over any attempt to assign blame.
The debate at the UNSC follows a chemical attack last week on a rebel-held town in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said killed at least 80 people.
UK Ambassador to the UN Karen Price told the UNSC: “We stand with everybody on this Council who wants to find a way through the chemical weapons problem, to have a proper fact-finding mission, to have a proper investigation as the first step to bringing this dreadful conflict to a close… As a P5 member, the UK will stand up for international peace and security. It is our moral duty. It is a matter of shame that Russia once again blocked a resolution.”
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Twitter that it was “hugely disappointing that Russia vetoed the proposal at the UN for an independent investigation into Syrian chemical attacks”.
The US, France and the UK are considering military action in response to Saturday’s attack, with US President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis cancelling upcoming travel plans to coordinate a response.