New Zealand circulated to the 15-member United Nations Security Council on Wednesday a draft resolution that would demand an end to all attacks that kill civilians in Syria, particularly air strikes in Aleppo, just days after Russia vetoed a similar text.
The New Zealand draft resolution demands an “end to all attacks which may result in the death or injury of civilians or damage to civilian objects in Syria, in particular those carried out by air in Aleppo.”
The draft resolution also calls on all parties to the conflict to lift the siege on all cities and towns across Syria and to allow immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access to all civilians in need.
The move by New Zealand came as Canada and Liechtenstein were leading a push at the General Assembly to mobilize international efforts after a US-Russian cease-fire deal collapsed and the UN Security Council failed to take action.
The missions of Liechtenstein and Canada to the United Nations said they had sent a joint letter to President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson pushing the 193-member Assembly to be briefed on Syria next week.
Liechtenstein’s mission expressed hope that the UN General Assembly will adopt a text on the cessation of hostilities in Syria.
New Zealand’s move followed the failure of the UN Security Council to pass a similar French draft resolution which was blocked by a Russian veto on Saturday. This is the fifth time Russia uses its veto in the Council since 2011. In 2014, Russia voted a French-drafted resolution calling for the referral of the crimes committed in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
President of the Syrian Coalition Anas Abdah on Wednesday said that it is now imperative that the United Nations, supported by the governments of friendly countries, act urgently to save Syrian civilians after it has become clear to everyone that the UN Security Council UN turned into a means to defend murderers and criminals.
The governments of friendly countries should make the situation in Syria a top priority and take action to deter the onslaught by the Assad regime and its allies on the Syrian people, especially on Aleppo, Abdah stressed. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Anadolu Agency)
