New York
Russia, backed by China, on Friday cast its 14th UN Security Council veto since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011 to block cross-border aid deliveries from Turkey and Iraq to millions of Syrian civilians.
The resolution drafted by Belgium, Kuwait and Germany would have allowed cross-border humanitarian deliveries for a further 12 months from two points in Turkey and one in Iraq. But Syrian ally Russia only wanted to approve the two Turkish crossings for six months and had proposed its own draft text.
Russia and China vetoed the text drafted by Belgium, Kuwait and Germany. The remaining 13 members of the Security Council voted in favour. A resolution needs a minimum nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the US, Britain or France to pass.
US Ambassador Kelly Craft told the council after Russia and China’s vetoes that she was in a state of shock as the consequences “will be disastrous.” She described Russia and China’s opposition as “reckless, irresponsible and cruel.”
The council then voted on the rival Russian draft resolution that would have approved the two Turkish crossing points for six months, but it failed with only five votes in favour, six against and four abstentions.
“Who won today? Nobody. Who lost? The Syrian people,” Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council. He had argued that the humanitarian situation in Syria has improved dramatically and that the council had to recognize that change. “Do not attempt to shift blame for this on us,” he said.
Deputy UN aid chief Ursula Mueller had warned the council on Thursday that without the cross border operations “we would see an immediate end of aid supporting millions of civilians.” Meanwhile, Syria’s Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources said that three oil and gas facilities – the Homs refinery, a gas plant south of the province and the Al-Rayyan gas station – were attacked late Friday, believed to have been carried out by drones, which caused some damage to production units.— Reuters/AP
