US, UK, France supported Turkey’s aggressive actions in UNSC vote

According to a Russian official, US, UK and France demonstrated their “Atlantic solidarity” by voting against Russian draft resolution on protecting Syria’s sovereignty

Lack of agreement on Russian draft resolution on protecting Syria’s sovereignty may complicate negotiations on peaceful settlement in the region, first deputy chairman of Russian Federation Council’s Committee on Defense and Security Frants Klintsevich said on Saturday.

The United States, United Kingdom France did not support the draft resolution out of principle, Klintsevich said. “So they in fact supported Turkey in its aggressive actions, once again demonstrating their Atlantic solidarity,” he note, according to TASS.

“US, UK and France, at least for now, were not able or, more likely, did not want to make a step away from bloc positions. They continue acting in the framework of ‘us-them’ paradigm which is characteristic of the Cold War,” the lawmaker added. “I am afraid this can seriously complicate peace talks on Syria by pushing the situation in this country to an absolute dead-end,” he said.

At the same time, “Russia is open for cooperation on resolving the Syrian problem, including in the framework of UN Security Council,” Klintsevich added.

Diplomats said that six members of UN Security Council, including US, UK and France, rejected the draft resolution proposed by Russia at the session. Before the session, envoys of two UN Security Council member countries said that the Russian document had no future.

The draft resolution submitted by Russia calls on all countries to stop strikes at Syria, respect its sovereignty and “leave all attempts or plans” to stage a military invasion of the country.

According to Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the international committee of the Russian parliament’s upper house, the lack of support for the Russian resolution on Syria from six members of the UN Security Council proves they do not want to acknowledge the fact of Russia’s work on settlement of the Syrian crisis or to give to it the initiative in this matter.

The senator hopes “this refusal is only temporary and not final, it demonstrates damaged pride and desires not to allow Russia lead the Syrian settlement.”

“To be more exact: not to allow acknowledgement at the level of UN Security Council of the evident fact of Russia’s initiatives for the sake of all,” he said adding common directions in the Syrian settlement are necessary for further movement towards peace in Syria. These directions should be based on “respect for sovereignty of countries and indivisibility in strict compliance with the UN Charter.”

“Without recognizing these basic approaches we are bound to approve of any aggression,” the senator said.

The reason to block the Russian draft resolution came from a provision that calls inacceptable “any actions, undermining sovereignty and territory integrity of Syria.” The provision was not supported by “the countries, which at the same time are calling for respect of territory integrity in Ukraine or which even announce sanctions against Russia, as, they claim, Russia’s respect for that integrity is not enough.” Moreover, the senator continued, “the US ambassador to UN said with indignation Russia by its resolution was only ‘detracting attention’ from the peaceful settlement in Syria.”

“Thus, does it mean territory integrity and sovereignty of a country are minor topics, which do not deserve being even mentioned in the UN resolutions? I am curious to learn – is Kiev aware of it already?”

A draft resolution of the United Nations Security Council that was initiated by Russia calls to stop shelling of the Syrian territory, respect its sovereignty and drop all plans and attempts at armed invasion of its territory.

The document reiterates resolute commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

The draft resolution contains no mentions of Turkey’s involvement, but condemns “ongoing shelling of the Syrian territory” and the flow of foreign terrorists and illegal arms supplies in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions with the connivance of certain states, including Syria’s neighbors.

The one-page draft demands that Syria’s sovereignty be fully respected and urges to immediately stop any trans-border shelling and interference and to drop all attempts or plans of foreign military invasion of the Syrian territory.

Before the draft resolution was submitted with the UN Security Council diplomats from the United States and France, Samantha Power and Francois Delattre respectively, announced that the Russia-initiated draft had no future.

M. A.