| New York Times | - |
UNITED NATIONS - The morning after an aid convoy came under fire when it tried to reach a besieged Syrian
city, a meeting here on a draft resolution that would force all parties
in the bloody conflict to allow access for humanitarian organizations ...
UNITED NATIONS — The morning after an aid convoy came under fire when it tried to reach a besieged Syrian city,
a meeting here on a draft resolution that would force all parties in
the bloody conflict to allow access for humanitarian organizations fell
apart when representatives from Russia and China failed to show up,
United Nations Security Council diplomats said.
On
Monday afternoon, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly
I. Churkin, did not directly say he would veto the draft if it came up
for a vote, but called it “one of those political things” that would not
be adopted by the Security Council. “This text would not have any
practical, positive impact on the situation,” Mr. Churkin said.
The
Chinese ambassador, Liu Jieyi, said Monday evening that he was
concerned that a humanitarian resolution would disrupt the political
talks underway in Geneva. “It’s a delicate process,” he said. He refused
to say whether China would veto a proposed resolution.
A
United Nations spokesman said that 11 people were killed as aid workers
delivered food and medicine over the weekend to the Old City of Homs.
About 800 people, mainly women, children and elderly people, have been
evacuated so far, and some of them told United Nations officials that
they had resorted to eating grass and weeds to survive.
A World Food Program official said on Twitter
that in a measure of distress from food shortage, one family spoke of
paying a one-kilogram ransom of bulgur wheat for the return of its
abducted daughter.
It
remained to be seen whether the Security Council would push the draft
to deliver relief to the estimated 250,000 people in besieged Syrian
cities and towns to a vote, forcing Russia to veto it. Council members
have one eye on Geneva, where political negotiations resumed on Monday
between the Syrian government and a coalition of rebel groups. They
were also awaiting a briefing on Syria from the United Nations emergency
relief coordinator, Valerie Amos, on Thursday.
Ms.
Amos, a veteran British politician, has carefully avoided calling for a
resolution, though over the weekend, she ratcheted up her outrage at
attacks on an aid convoy as it entered Homs, saying on Twitter on Sunday
that the international community “must raise its voice” to condemn the
attacks.
The draft
resolution, which is to be presented to the 15 Council members on
Tuesday, condemns attacks against humanitarian workers, expresses “grave
alarm” at the plight of civilians trapped in the fighting, most of whom
it said are “besieged by the Syrian armed forces,” and deplores
blockades of aid.
It
specifically calls on the Syrian government of President Bashar
al-Assad to cease “aerial bombardment” against civilians, including the
use of so-called barrel bombs;
urges rebels to dissociate themselves from terrorist groups, including
Al Qaeda; and calls on foreign fighters, including members of Hezbollah
from Lebanon and the Quds Force from Iran, to leave the country. It also
contains a paragraph on accountability for war criminals, and proposes
imposing measures on individuals and entities that obstruct aid
delivery.
Only
after a briefing by Ms. Amos on Thursday are Council members likely to
decide whether to put the resolution to a vote. If it comes up for a
vote in its current form, it is likely to be rejected by Russia and
possibly China, both permanent members of the Council.
The United States ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, has said that she favors a resolution.
Yet
Richard Gowan, an analyst at New York University, said he was skeptical
that either supporters or critics of the Syrian government would be
eager to push for a measure to let in aid.
“With
the Geneva talks back in session, neither Russia nor the U.S. will want
a fight over a humanitarian resolution to upset Brahimi’s diplomatic
efforts,” he said, referring to Lakhdar Brahimi,
the United Nations special envoy who is mediating the Geneva talks.
“Nonetheless, Russia will doubtless insist that any resolution must
condemn rebel and terrorist attacks on humanitarian workers. While the
facts of the incidents in Homs remain unclear, the image of general
chaos plays into Russia’s hands.”
The
effect of any resolution would be limited. Its adoption would signify
that the world powers are unified in insisting on humanitarian access.
And it would fall under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter, which means that it would not threaten any use of force against those who flout it.
On
Monday, the secretary general’s office refused to comment on who might
have fired at a convoy of aid workers with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent
accompanied by United Nations officials. “I don’t think we would want to
get into apportioning blame,” said Martin Nesirky, a spokesman for the
secretary general.
In
Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, A. K. Lukashevich,
attributed the aid convoy attacks to cease-fire violations by
“militants” intending to disrupt the Geneva talks.
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