The Western bloc intended to impose new sanctions on Damascus for the (alleged) use of chemical weapons by government forces. For the seventh time, Moscow blocks a measure within the Security Council. 11 Syrian citizens and 10 entities, included on a black list. Deadlock in United Nations peace talks in Geneva.
New York (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Russia and China yesterday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution supported by the Western bloc to impose sanctions on Syria for the (alleged) use of chemical weapons by government forces.
It is Moscow’s seventh time to block a Security Council measure - the last of these in December of last year, during the last phase of the battle of Aleppo - to the benefit of the leadership in Damascus of which it is the closest ally (together with Iran). Beijing instead has vetoed resolutions six times in 2011, the date of beginning of the conflict.
The resolution was put forward by Britain, France and the United States. Nine votes were in favor, three against - China, Russia, Bolivia - three abstentions (Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Egypt).
A resolution needs nine positive votes, without any vetoes to pass.
Ahead of the vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin had emphasized that new sanctions on Syria in the current environment are "totally out of place," while the UN peace talks underway in Geneva do not seem to heading towards a positive outcome.
If passed, the resolution would have put 11 Syrian citizens, most of them senior government army officers, and 10 bodies on a blacklist for alleged ties to the chemical attacks in Syria in 2014 and 2015. There will also ban on the sale of helicopters and chemicals to the government in Damascus or the Syrian armed forces.
A UN survey last October accused the government army of using chlorine bombs against three villages controlled by the opposition in 2014 and in 2015. Damascus is charged with using poison gas also in Aleppo, to bend the resistance of the militants holed up in eastern sector, controlled by the rebels for over four years. The latter also are accused of using chemical weapons.
Damascus has always denied using chemical weapons in the context of the Syrian conflict which broke out in March 2011 and which has so far caused 310 thousand deaths and millions of displaced, triggering the greatest humanitarian tragedy in modern history. The anti-government rebels and jihadi militias of the Islamic State (IS) are also accused of having used chemical weapons.
Meanwhile in the United Nations in Geneva (Switzerland) mediated talks between government representatives and the armed opposition leaders continue - with no apparent results . Putin has not hid his dissatisfaction, pointing out that the meetings which began on February 23 after a break of 10 months "are not progressing as hoped." Among the many issues to be resolved, the Russian request to opposition groups to join the fight against terrorism and move away from the fighting groups of Islamic origin.
Even the special UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura preaches caution. Asked about the outcome of the negotiations he admitted to "not expect any breakthrough", also in consideration of the failures of the previous meetings.