UNITED NATIONS: Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN resolution moved by Western powers proposing sanctions against 21 Syrian individuals, organisations and companies allegedly involved in chemical weapon attacks in the war-ravaged country.

The resolution would also have banned all countries from supplying Syria’s government with helicopters as investigators believe they were used in the attacks.

In Tuesday’s vote, the resolution got the minimum nine “yes” votes. In addition to China and Russia, Bolivia voted “no”. Three countries abstained — Egypt, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.

The vetoed resolution was a consequence of an investigation on the use of chemical weapons allegedly used by Syria. Agencies add: Russian President Vladimir Putin described the draft resolution on Tuesday as “totally inappropriate.” “For my friends in Russia, this resolution is very appropriate,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the council after the vote.

“It is a sad day on the Security Council when members start making excuses for other member states killing their own people. The world is definitely a more dangerous place,” she said.

The vote was one of the first confrontations at the United Nations between Russia and the United States since US President Donald Trump took office in January, pledging to build closer ties with Moscow.

Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov described the statements made against Moscow in the Security Council as “outrageous” and said “God will judge you.” Western powers put forward the resolution in response to the results of an investigation by the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The international inquiry found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks and that the militant Islamic State group had used mustard gas.

British UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the council before the vote: “This is about taking a stand when children are poisoned, it’s that simple.” Chlorine’s use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013. If inhaled, chlorine gas turns to hydrochloric acid in the lungs and can kill by burning lungs and drowning victims in body fluids.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government has denied its forces have used chemical weapons. Russia has questioned the results of the UN/OPCW inquiry and long said there was not enough proof for the Security Council to take any action.

French UN Ambassador Francois Delattre said the failure by the council to act would “send a message of impunity.”

The draft resolution would have banned the sale or supply of helicopters to the Syrian government because the UN/OPCW inquiry found Syrian government forces had used helicopters to drop barrel bombs containing chlorine gas.

It also proposed targeted sanctions — a travel ban and asset freeze — on 11 Syrian military commanders and officials, as well as on 10 government and related entities.—Reuters

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2017