Russia Surprises West by Proposing U.N. Resolution on Syria
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Russia on Thursday surprised the Western powers by proposing a U.N. Security Council resolution on the Syrian crisis, as France hailed the move as "an extraordinary event."
As a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad, Russia has tried to head off Security Council intervention in the Syria crisis. With China, it vetoed a council resolution proposed by European nations in October condemning Assad's crackdown on protests which the U.N. says has left 5,000 dead.
Russia called emergency talks of the 15 nation body on Syria however to propose the new resolution which western diplomats said they did not find acceptable but could be negotiated on.
The Russian resolution strongly condemns the violence by "all parties, including disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities," according to a copy obtained by Agence France Presse.
The draft also raises concern over "the illegal supply of weapons to the armed groups in Syria."
The French envoy to the United Nations welcomed Moscow’s move, saying it was "an extraordinary event."
"Russia has decided to move on the resolution project ... We think that it is because Russia has felt the pressure of the international community," France's envoy to the U.N., Gerard Araud, told journalists.
Meanwhile, a Western diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity that the draft resolution was "unbalanced."
"At the moment, from our point of view, it is unbalanced. We have no firm evidence of any arms trafficking," the diplomat said.
"We would be opposed to anything which puts the opposition violence on the same level as that of the government," another council diplomat said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because talks on the resolution are confidential.
Russian diplomats did not immediately comment on the resolution or its contents.
15 December 2011, 22:39
22
Unless ASSad goes it will be no deal. Russia is trying to walk the fence. But their proposal is not tough enough.
15 December 2011, 22:45
22
Putin is triying to divert attention from his fixed alection .
15 December 2011, 22:52
22
The time has started ticking.. i want bashar to stay stupid and defiant.. because he deserves an ending like qadafe. Can you imagine the size and strength of the Free Syrian Army 6 months from now? especially with the safe zone and arm supplies? the Syrians will invade bashar's castle, it is really a matter of time.. i hope bashar keeps refusing, we will watch him being caught come this summer.
15 December 2011, 23:59
32
Why all the media sensation over this? Russia has proposed this BEFORE and western countries did not accept it. Why all the spin in the media?
16 December 2011, 00:13
22
The Russian are trying to deviate the attention of the west from its rigging of the presidential elections by agreeing to the western demand son Syria. It's a trade off which might hold some wtaer and could lesson pressure on the regime in Russia which is now going through protests from within.
No matter what the reasons are, the move is quite favorable and could shake bassar who had relied on the instrangisance of the Russian.
I guess more and more the rope is approaching Bashar's throats wlthough I believe that Bashar, like Gaddafi, has no option but fight until the end.
This could also create a window of opportunity for bashar to negotiate a safe exit from the country with guarantees from the west. He could after all live somewhere else with all the billions he squandered from the Syrian coffers.
i could live with his safe exit in exchange for no more killing of civilians. If he ultimately leaves, Syria would be governed properly and Lebanon would come back to normalcy.
16 December 2011, 00:28
23
The Russian regime usually plays the economic exploitation card till the end. Now that the Russians realize that Assad is in truly deep trouble they will drop him like an old shoe.
Assad should be packing soon to leave or, if he is as dumb as other dictators in denial, he will stay in his disbelief till reality hits him.
16 December 2011, 02:03
11
They are still trying to buy time for the syrian regime... It's obvious that they still haven't sided against regime.
The russians will never agree with what is being proposed by the western forces because if the syrian regime falls then Russia loses a major ally in the region.
16 December 2011, 18:01
11
cannot wait to see what all those M8 pro terrorist syria will say the day this regime falls!
they are going to be orphans! dogs without their master! or are they going to lick the boots of the new regime to save their privileges?
