Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

At UN on Eve of GA Vote on Syria, Russian Amendments Trigger Meeting

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 15, updated -- The afternoon before the scheduled vote in the General Assembly Thursday afternoon on the draft resolution on Syria, a meeting began in the UN's North Lawn building on a series of amendments by Russia.

"They are good ones, aren't they?" a BRICS representative asked Inner City Press. He predicted that the vote(s) will take place on Thursday, since "France has made the announcement - it is not Cairo in the lead."

Representatives of Western Security Council members like the US and UK were in attendance, albeit at the "expert" level. In the front, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative Pankin began speaking.

 The amendments are similar to the Security Council amendments that Inner City Press first obtained and published on Saturday morning February 4, that "all sections of the Syrian opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups engaged in acts of violence" and that "in conjunction with the end of attacks by armed groups against state institutions and quarters of cities and towns." This last was (mis) presented at the stakeout and after as not "in conjunction" but armed groups leaving before the government.

  There is also - "(optional). Expressing support for the broad trend of political transition to democratic, plural political systems in the Middle East." Online version now put online by Inner City Press here.

   The vote is slated for Thursday afternooon.