United Nations, United States: Russia on Saturday failed to win UN backing for a condemnation of military strikes launched by the United States, Britain and France on Syria in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack.
A Russian-drafted resolution won three votes, far below the nine votes required for adoption. Eight countries voted against and four abstained.
The UN Security Council met at Russia’s request to discuss US-led air strikes on Syria in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack.
The open meeting started at 11:00 am (15:00 GMT) and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all members of the UN Security Council to exercise restraint and avoid escalation in Syria.
The Secretary-General also said that international investigators are ready to visit the site of the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria’s Douma, and that several militias and armies are fighting proxy wars in Syria.
The Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said that the attack carried out by the US and its allies was an “act of aggression” against a sovereign state. He continued by saying that the US and its allies have demonstrated a blatant disregard for international law.
Meanwhile, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the strikes that were carried out on Syria were carefully planned to minimise civilian casualties. She also said that the response was “justified, legitimate, and proportionate.”
Haley continued by saying that US President Donald Trump has stated that the US is “locked and loaded” to strike Syria again if the regime uses toxic gas again.
The French Ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre said that the Syrian regime is using terrible and destructive weapons against civilians, and that the list of its violations is long.
The British UN envoy Karen Pierce commented on the US-led strikes by saying that it cannot be illegal to use force to prevent the killing of such numbers of innocent people.
The Syrian UN envoy Bashar Jaafari said the international community did not agree to or authorize the strikes carried out by the US, UK and France. He called on the three countries to stop supporting “terrorists” in Syria.
Jaafari also said that 110 rockets were launched at Syria and some of them hit a scientific research facility near Damascus. At least three people were injured in the latest US-led strike, the Syrian UN envoy said.
With agencies.
