UNITED
NATIONS, May
29, updated --
In the
"urgent"
debate on
Syria at
the
UN Human
Rights Council
on Wednesday,
South Korea acknowledged
abuses
by the
opposition but
called the
resolution
drafted by
Qatar, Turkey
and the US
"balanced."
Many
disagreed with
that. India
noted that the
draft ignored
rebels'
misdeeds and
was "one-sided."
Russia
called
the draft
"counter-productive,"
questioning
why if
the US was a
co-drafter the
Geneva
conference the
US and Russia
are
talking about
is not
mentioned in
the HRC draft.
Some wondered:
did
Qatar and
Turkey not
want it in?
The
UK,
represented by
former Deputy
at the UN
Karen Pierce,
talked
against about
referring
Syria to the
International
Criminal
Court,
for both sides.
But
considering
the case of
Cote d'Ivoire,
the ICC
has yet to act
on the
Ouattara
side's crimes.
The
US'
Ambassador
Donahoe called
for a halt to
the assault on
Al-Qusayr.
Some wondered
back: did the
US ask for
ceasefire in
Sri Lanka, for
example, as it
closed in on
the bloodbath
on the beach?
Bahrain
speechified
about attacks
on unarmed
civilians --
something they
know
about quite
well, having
most recently
blocked the
visit of UN
Special
Rapporteur on
Torture Juan
Mendez.
Like
the UAE
which has been
a
pass-through,
Qatar
denounced the
entry into
Syria of
weapons and
militias, both
of which it
sponsors.
Italy
cited
the Paulo
Sergio
Pinheiro led
panel on Syria,
without
mentioning
that panel
member Carla
Del Ponte
spoke of
strong
suspicions of
chemical
weapons use by
the the
opposition.
Spain,
also
in financial
straights,
acknowledged
rebel abuses,
perhaps a
veiled
reference to
the eating or
mere
"mouthing" of
hearts
and lungs.
It
was noted that
the fancy
ceiling of the
Human Rights
Council was
paid for by
Spain, which
misleadingly
called it
international
humanitarian
or development
aid.
There's a lot
of
urgent
misleading, in
the Human
Rights
Council. But
we continue to
cover it.
Watch this
site.
Update:
after the
speeches, the
sponsors
sought a
postponement
to 5:30 pm
Geneva time.
Watch this
site.
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