By: D.K Choudhary
Russia, China Opposes UN resolution to Impose Sanctions on Syria
i. Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution on February 28, 2017 to impose sanctions on Syria over the alleged use of chemical weapons during the six-year war.
ii. The UN Security Council resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States won nine votes in favor while three countries comprising China, Russia and Bolivia opposed it. Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Egypt did not vote.
iii. The resolution required nine votes in favour and no vetoes by any of the five permanent members in order to be adopted.
iv. This was the Russia’s seventh veto to protect the Syrian government from UN Security Council action.
v. Russian president Vladimir Putin described the draft resolution as totally inappropriate which would ultimately harm UN-led peace talks between the warring Syrian parties.
vi. UNSC stated that Syrian air force helicopters had dropped chlorine gas on rebel-held areas, twice in March 2015 and once in April 2014. The use of chlorine as a weapon is prohibited under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.
United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
♦ The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with the maintenance of international peace and security as well as accepting new members to the United Nations and approving any changes to its United Nations Charter.
♦ Formation: 1945
♦ Council President: Matthew Rycroft
♦ Headquarter: New York, United States
