BICOM

The United Nations Security Council has for the first time issued a condemnation of Syria following the brutal crackdown on civilian protesters in the country. The UNSC statement was read to a meeting of the Security Council yesterday by Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, who is currently president of the body. The statement said that the UNSC “condemns widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities.” The statement called for “an immediate end to all violence and urges all sides to act with utmost restraint, and to refrain from reprisals, including attacks against state institutions.” The UNSC statement was based on an original draft formulated by western European countries two months ago. Russian and Chinese opposition had previously prevented it from being presented.  However, the recent bloody events in Hama appear to have induced Russia and China to remove their threat of veto. The statement does not specify any practical action, other than that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is to report back to the UNSC in a week’s time on the situation in Syria.

Meanwhile, Lebanon, a non-permanent-member of the Council and Syria’s neighbour, disassociated itself from the statement following its release. Caroline Ziade, the deputy permanent representative of the Lebanese mission to the UN, told the Council ‘While we expect our deep regret for the loss of innocent victims and we offer our condolences to their families, we hope that Syrian reform will lead to progress and prosperity. But since Lebanon considers that the statement being discussed in our meeting today does not help in addressing the current situation in Syria therefore, Lebanon dissociates itself from this presidential statement.’

A statement from the council president requires unanimous consent and went through because Lebanon, which has a pro-Syrian government dominated by Hezbollah, did not object. Still, it falls short of the resolution sought by European nations and the U.S. and opposed by Russia, which as one of five permanent members has the power to veto. The statement does, however, represent a small but significant step, signalling Syria’s growing international isolation.