UN rejects Russian condemnation of strike
April 14, 2018
The United Nations Security Council on Saturday rejected a Russian resolution to condemn Western strikes on Syria.
Moscow called the emergency Security Council meeting after the US, France and the UK fired scores of cruise missiles at what they said were chemical weapons facilities in Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack by Damascus last week.
Read more: Airstrikes in Syria: What you need to know
How the meeting went
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged restraint and asked states to avoid any escalation.
- Guterres renewed his call for an investigation to identify the perpetrators of the chemical attack.
- Russia filed a draft resolution condemning the missile attack as a violation of international law and the UN Charter, and demanding the US and its allies cease aggression against Syria.
- Only Russia, China and Bolivia voted in favor. Eight countries voted against the draft. Four abstained.
Read more: Russia condemns US airstrikes on Syria as world reacts
Britain defends strikes
British Ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce said, "It was both right and legal to take military action together with our closest allies to alleviate further humanitarian suffering."
US Ambassador Nikki Haley said, "If the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded."
Read more: Why Syria is not the Cuban missile crisis of 2018
World closes ranks: Russia and Syria have found little support for their position. All 29 NATO states were unanimous in their approval of the strikes given Russia's blocking of investigative efforts.
The chemical attack: Dozens of people were reportedly killed and many more injured in a suspected chemical weapons attack in the city of Douma last week. Various groups alleged that either chlorine, a nerve agent, or both were used in the attack.
Allegations of blame: Western allies accused the Russian-backed Syrian regime of being behind the attack. Russia and Syria denied this, saying the incident was either fabricated or was a false-flag attack.
Retaliatory attacks: In response, the US, France and the UK launched attacks early Saturday morning against three sites near Damascus and Homs that were allegedly used for the research, development, production, testing and storage of chemical weapons.
New resolution: According to French Ambassador Francois Delattre, France, Britain and the US will soon present the Security Council with a new draft resolution aimed at achieving a lasting solution in Syria.
aw/tj (Reuters, AFP, AP)