Russia, China Stop UN Security Council ‘Blame’ Resolution as OPCW Readies Investigation

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Russia, China Stop UN Security Council ‘Blame’ Resolution as OPCW Readies Investigation

April 10, 2018 (EIRNS)—A United States-sponsored resolution to the United Nations Security Council which would have created a “new investigative mechanism which can affix blame” for chemical weapons attacks, was vetoed by Russia Tuesday, opposed by Bolivia, and abstained on but verbally criticized by China. The other 12 UNSC members voted for the resolution. This occurred even as an investigative team of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was on its way to Douma, Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government and with Russia’s support.

The Washington Examiner reported China’s UN Ambassador Wu Haitao emphasizing, “There should be no prejudgment of the outcome” in creating a new Joint Investigative Mechanism. But all the major Western nations stated conclusively that Russia and Syria were to blame for the alleged attack in Douma, before it is investigated. British UN Ambassador Karen Pierce said “Russia’s credibility as a member of the council is now in question.”

A resolution proposed by Russia in Tuesday’s session would have supported an investigation by the OPCW to determine what happened, but would not have created a mechanism to affix blame for an alleged attack. This resolution received six votes in the UNSC, including Russia and China, with two abstentions. It was vetoed by the United States, Britain and France and opposed by four other Security Council members.

In the previous, Monday meeting, the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Syria Staffan de Mistura had said,

“The United Nations is unable to independently verify or attribute responsibility for this attack; but we have asked all parties to show utmost restraint and avoid any further escalation or confrontation.”

He had warned that

“Recent developments carry more than ever before the risks of ... fault lines in the Middle East that could have absolutely devastating consequences, which are difficult to even imagine.”