Voting on Draft Resolution on Cessation of Hostilities in Syria Delayed Till Saturday Evening

WASHINGTON, (ST)- Voting on a draft resolution at the Security Council on the cessation of hostilities in Syria was delayed till Saturday evening.

The delay of voting on the draft resolution, which was submitted by Sweden and Kuwait, was announced as consultations among the 15 members of the Security Council continue with the purpose of reaching consensual formula.

According to UN sources, the ten non permanent member states of the council support consensus, whereas western countries keep manipulating the concept of flexibility by making small verbal concessions but rejecting doing any efforts to reach understanding with Russia.

 On Thursday, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United States Bashar al-Jaafari reiterated at the Security Council that exposing the lives of 8 million Syrians in Damascus to danger to protect terrorists in Eastern Ghouta is unacceptable. He said that “the draft resolution submitted by Kuwait and Sweden to the Security Council on the situation in Syria was not coordinated with Syria’s delegation and this is a shame.” 

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed concern over the proposed UN Security Council resolution on Syria, saying that it may aim to accuse Damascus of everything.  According to Sputnik, the minister also expressed suspicions that western countries want to shift focus away from the necessity of starting the Geneva talks to launching plan “B”.

Hamda Mustafa