Wrongheaded UN Vote on Syria: US-NATO “Arm Twisting” at the General Assembly

by Stephen Lendman
Global Research
February 18, 2012

On February 4, Russia and China vetoed the Arab League’s one-sided Syria resolution (SC/10536). It illegitimately called for Assad to step down.

Under international law, no nation or combination thereof, may interfere in the internal affairs of others, except in self-defense if attacked.

SC/10536 also called for “further measures” for noncompliance. It resembled SC/1973 on Libya. Aggressive war followed, ravaging the country lawlessly.

Russia and China want replicating Libya avoided. Passing SC/10536 risked giving Washington, NATO partners, and rogue Arab League allies responsibility to protect authority to intervene.

As a result, this unholy alliance circumvented SC authority for General Assembly passage of essentially the same text. It’s non-binding but sends a message.

Syrian UN ambassador Bashar Jaafari denounced the resolution. Calling it politically motivated, he said Western nations and others want “to settle accounts with Syria.”

It authorizes “violence and deliberate sabotage.” It’ll cause “more chaos and more crisis….The Arab (League) Trojan horse has been unmasked today. (It’s) broken both politically and morally.”

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov called the measure “unbalanced. It directs all the demands at the government, and says nothing about the opposition.” Moreover, it excluded constructive Russian amendments.

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said one called on “all sections of the Syrian opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups engaged in acts of violence,” and urged all countries act to prevent it.

Another rejected amendment called for withdrawing Syrian forces from conflict areas “in conjunction with the end of attacks by armed groups against state institutions and quarters of cities and towns.”

China’s deputy envoy Wang Min affirmed Beijing’s opposition to “armed intervention or forcing a so-called regime change in Syria.”

Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, and other countries condemned it. Venezuela said it violated Syrian sovereignty and “promote(s) civil war on a large scale.”

On December 19, 2011, the General Assembly “strongly condemn(ed) the continued grave and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities.” Pointing fingers the wrong way, it cited forced disappearances, torture of detainees, and the persecution of protesters and human rights defenders.

It also called on Syrian authorities to implement Arab League proposals “in (their) entirety.” It included letting observers monitor conditions and resolving months of crisis.

It passed 133 in favor, 11 against, 43 abstentions, and 6 no votes. It also called on Syria to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) international commission of inquiry.

On December 3, UNHRC in emergency session condemned the violence in Syria, blaming Assad, not Western-backed insurgents. Its measure passed 37 to 4 with with 6 abstentions. Russia and China voted against its one-sided resolution, pointing fingers the wrong way.

General Assembly Passes One-Sided Syrian Resolution

On February 16, GA/11207 was adopted by 137 in favor, 12 against, 17 abstentions, and 27 no votes.

No votes were cast by Bolivia, Belarus, Cuba, China, Ecuador, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

[CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE]