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

At UN on Syria, Russia Counters With Its Own Draft Resolution, Now the Battle for IBSA?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 26, with full text below -- Countering calls for a Syria resolution by the United Nations Security Council's four European members and the US, Russian Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin on Friday called a Council meeting and circulated Russia's own draft resolution.

 In the closed door meeting, he said he was putting Russia's draft "into blue," that is, that if votes are called, Russia's draft should go first.

  Churkin said it calls on the opposition to engage in a dialogue with the Syrian authorities, as well as calling on the government to "expedite the reforms they announced."

  The actual draft "urges all sides to act with utmost restraint, and to refrain from reprisals, including attacks against state institutions" and "reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria."

Inner City Press asked Churkin if Russia has other co-sponsors. Churkin replied, "From what I heard today I have a fairly good sense we are going to have at least several co-sponsors."

European representatives acknowledged at least one supporter of Russia, spinning that it's good that Russia and China now acknowledge the need for a resolution.

  But the key will be toward which resolution the so-called IBSA -- India, Brazail and South Africa -- gravitate. Call it the Battle for IBSA.

  German Deputy Permanent Representative Miguel Berger said Russia's draft "does not even reflect the Presidential Statement of the third of August." He said he hoped that on Monday, or even over the (Hurricane Irene) weekend, "we can engage."

UK Deputy Permanent Representative Philip Parham said it "steps back from President Statement... since which things have gotten worse.... I'm not saying we want to take the two texts and negotiate. We are clear that our proposal is a good basis... that's why we have put our proposal into blue."

But who went first? Churkin said "it is clear" that Russia was first. A European spokesperson said that even as Churkin spoke in the meeting, the European and US draft was "submitted to the Secretariat."

Churkin speaks in past to Ban Ki-moon: what does he think of 2 resolutions?

In the run up to the meeting, Syrian Permanent Representative Bashar Ja'afari said there would soon be "good news." He denounced "former colonial powers" for a US-heavy litany including Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and "the destruction of Viet Nam." A Japanese journalist mused to Inner City Press, "Why not Hiroshima?" And so it goes at the UN.

Friday afternoon, as Ban Ki-moon convenes a video meeting about Libya -- based, his departing deputy spokesman told Inner City Press, on the Martin report which Inner City Press exclusively published Friday morning -- a UK proposal to unfreeze Libyan bank notes pends before the Council's Libya Sanctions Committee. Inner City Press asked if the request mentions the National Transitional Council; the answer is no, it mentions the "Central Libyan Bank." We'll see.

Russia-introduced draft resolution, as re-typed:

The Security Council,

Recalling its Presidential Statement of 3 August 2011,

Deeply concerned by the continuing violence in Syria and the potential for its further escalation,

Calling for an immediate end to all violence and urging all sides to act with utmost restraint, and to refrain from reprisals, including attacks on state institutions,

Expressing profound regret at the death of many hundreds of people,

Stressing that the only solution to the current crisis in Syria is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process,

Recalling the Syrian authorities' responsibility to comply with their obligations under applicable international law and to bring to account those responsible for the violence,

Noting the announced commitments by the Syrian authorities to reform, and regretting insufficient progress in their implementation,

Calling on the Syrian authorities to alleviate the humanitarian situation in crisis areas, to allow expeditious and unhindered access to international humanitarian agencies and workers, and to cooperate fully with the Office fo the High Commissioner for Human Rights,

Mindful of the role which Syria plans in the maintenance of peace and stability in the region,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, in dependence and territorial integrity of Syria,

1. Calls upon the Syrian government to expedite the implementation of the announced reforms in order to effectively address the legitimate aspirations and concerns of Syria's people.

2. Urges the Syrian opposition to engage in political dialogyue with the Syrian authorities with a view to holding a substantial and in-depth discussion on the ways of reforming Syrian society.