Russia, France push UN resolutions on fighting IS

AFP Published November 19, 2015

UNITED NATIONS: Russia submitted a revised draft UN resolution Wednesday on fighting the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group that France said could be partially included in its own Security Council measure following the Paris attacks.

Agreement from the 15-member council on a single draft resolution that lays out the international approach to defeating IS extremists would mark a significant step after months of disagreements between the West and Russia

Also read: France asks US, Russia to join forces against IS

The Russian draft text was first presented to the Security Council in late September but was rejected by the United States, Britain and France over a provision that calls for battling the IS extremists with the consent of the Syrian regime — a Moscow ally.

The new draft resolution still contains that provision, said Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, but he downplayed disagreements.

"We are calling for closer cooperation than we currently have now among all those fighting in Syria and Iraq," Churkin told reporters following a closed-door meeting of the council.

"One thing which was heard loud and clear in our discussions in the council is that there should be unity of the council. I don't see it as a huge gap."

French President Francois Hollande has called on the Security Council to quickly adopt a resolution to strengthen the fight against IS militants in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Hollande is due to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on November 26, two days after talks in Washington with President Barack Obama aimed at stepping up the campaign against the extremists.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre said he was working "to prepare a text that will be short, strong and focused on the fight against our common enemy, Daesh (IS)."

That measure is expected to be presented to the council soon and Delattre said he would "carefully stud" the Russian draft text to see how parts of it could be added to the French draft resolution.

Churkin insisted that Syria must have a role in confronting the IS group, saying that "to ignore the Syrian government... is something that is definitely weakening the possibility of our joint fight."

Following a phone call between Hollande and Putin this week, the Kremlin said Russia and French military and security services would work together to confront "terrorist groups" in Syria.

The Paris attacks that left at least 129 dead and the bombing of a Russian airliner, both claimed by IS, have brought France and Russia closer together in their shared goal of defeating the militants group.

Also read: France, Russia carry out air strikes against IS in Syria

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Arshad Hussain

Nov 19, 2015 02:31pm

What about fighting for Muslim under the terror thread and already a victim?

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Wajih

Nov 19, 2015 02:43pm

And here come's the time when the tables are turned. Now assad can enjoy a puff of smoke after the hard years of fighting all the rebels and ISIS gangs.

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haris

Nov 19, 2015 02:53pm

@Wajih There is only one winner in this fight. The tyrant Bashr Ul Assad and his vicious and barbarous regime.

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natey

Nov 19, 2015 02:59pm

they need to fight is then put UN forces there like kosovo for few years..get rid country of weapons then find leaders n vote

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Wajih

Nov 19, 2015 03:12pm

@haris Nope, what is important is the fact you lost 1.5 decades military history (2001-2015). Enforcing democracy and regime changes have devastated the middle east. I am all for Assad. Was Saddam vicious? Sure he was, but peace was there. Nothing is more important than peace. And by the way, what is far most important is the fact that Assad has to decide the future of Syria. Not outsiders. But at the moment they all now have to accept him as the legitimate leader.

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haris

Nov 19, 2015 03:58pm

@Wajih : Syria wasn't destroyed overnight by Daeesh. Yes, they added the last blow on the country but Syria is on fire for past five and a half years. In earlier 4 years there was no Daeesh. The Assad regime were bombarding their own country for all these years. It started of a mere protest from the people who wanted a free and fair elections.It wasn't an unjustified demand.Syria has no job and no future long before Daeesh came in to being. And as my Syrian friend rightly said. "Assad may not created Daeesh but he likes the idea when presented to have alternate force, a more brutal towards people so that his rule and regime would be justified and he would set free from all pressure". Now you can see it, nobody is talking about Assad and the atrocities his regime has caused. all of a sudden he became a legitimate choice of all around the World.

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yawar

Nov 19, 2015 04:08pm

world powers pounding syria in the name of revenge ... IS killing syria in the name of khilafa ... rebels fighting in the name of justice nobody is bothered about the innocents who are the ultimate victims of mental trauma and sufferings ... like they are made up of plastic

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Nov 19, 2015 06:29pm

Hard time ahead for terror sponsoring countries.

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ayub

Nov 20, 2015 06:15am

The west is making mistake after mistake. This is purely an Arab issue and the west unnecessarily meddling in it. The threat DAESH is specific to the Arab world. Had the west handled DAESH diplomatically and politically, the unfortunate tragedy of Paris would have not happened. Unfortunately, there is no political acumen and everywhere we resort to force in resolving simple issues of political nature.

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