UN General Assembly voted Wednesday on a draft resolution that “denounces Syrian Authorities” and acknowledges the Syrian National Coalition as effective representative interlocutors needed for a political transition.
UN General Assembly votes on Wednesday on a draft resolution that “denounces Syrian Authorities” and acknowledges the Syrian National Coalition as effective representative interlocutors needed for a political transition.
Russia strongly opposed the resolution that was drafted by Qatar and other Arab countries and reached 193 U.N. member states.
Knowing that no country has veto in the General Assembly, “it is unlikely that this draft resolution wins as many votes as a resolution passed last year with 133 in favor,” some western diplomats said.
This vote is politically pressurized by the American-European discussions about providing the Syrian militant groups with heavy weapons.
A political conflict between Russia and U.S. over how to cope with the Syrian crisis has been since 2011. Recently the two countries agreed on holding a peace conference on Syria.
Some countries have concerns that such a resolution would pave the way to formally acknowledge the coalition as the representative of the Syrian people.
The draft resolution denounces all violent activities, regardless of who causes them. Also, human rights abuses are condemned, according to this draft resolution.
It also demands the Syrian government to allow U.N. team investigating allegations that chemical weapons have been used in the conflict an unrestricted access. It is worth to note that there have been UN assertions that the opposition fighters used chemical weapons.
The draft resolution also supports Arab League decisions to reach a political solution, yet it does not back the League’s decision to arm the militant groups.
Finally, the draft resolution stresses UN support for the role of U.N.-Arab League Syria mediator Lakhdar Brahimi.
12 countries voted against Syria resolution in August, including China Iran, Russia, North Korea, Belarus, Cuba, and other countries. 31 countries further abstained from voting.
