Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria sanctions

UNITED NATIONS, United States: Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a Western-backed UN resolution that would have imposed sanctions on Syria over chemical weapons use, in the first clash at the Security Council since US President Donald Trump took office.

The twin vetoes came as peace talks in Geneva showed no signs of progress on ending the nearly six-year war in Syria.

It was the seventh time that Russia, Syria’s top military ally, has used its veto power to shield the Damascus regime. China has backed Moscow by using its veto six times on Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned ahead of the vote that imposing sanctions on Syria was “completely inappropriate” while talks were ongoing in Geneva on ending the war.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley shot back: “This resolution is very appropriate.”

“It is a sad day on the Security Council when members start making excuses for other member states killing their own people.”

“The world is definitely a more dangerous place,” she told the council after the measure was rejected.

The resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States won nine votes in favour, while three countries opposed it – Bolivia, China and Russia. Egypt, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan abstained.

UN resolutions require nine positive votes and no veto to be adopted. The resolution would have put 11 Syrians, mainly military commanders, and 10 entities linked to chemical attacks in 2014 and 2015 on a UN sanctions blacklist.

It included a ban on the sale of helicopters and of chemical agents to the Syrian armed forces or the government.

AUN-led investigationconcluded in October that the Syrian air force had dropped chlorine barrelbombs from helicopters on three opposition-held villages in 2014 and 2015.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the vote was a “moment of truth” for the council, arguing that chemical weapons use was a “negation of all civilization.” In Paris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault took aim at Russia, saying it bore a “heavy responsibility toward the Syrian people and humanity as a whole.” — AFP