By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 20, updated -- While the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting about Gaza at 10 pm on Sunday, July 20, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin emerged to speak about the pending draft resolution(s) on downed flight MH17.

   He said he expected consultations with Australia after the Gaza meeting; he said Russia would support a draft with providing for a independent, impartial investigation.

   As a pointed precedent, he cited the US' downing of a airplane in 1988. (That killed approximately 300 Iranian passengers).

   Moments later, UK Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant arrived at the Security Council, stopping to say that the new proposals seemed like typical Russian delaying tactics. From UK transcript:

"...coming to hear what Russia has to say but this looks like typical Russian delaying  tactics. It's extraordinary that they've introduced some new amendments which they didn't introduce earlier in the day. In fact on the paragraph where it now says 'unacceptable' they offered an amendment this morning which Australia took and incorporated into the blue text and now they're coming to say that that paragraph is unacceptable when actually it uses the amendments that they had now suggested, so it looks like a typical Russian delay in tactics and one can guess why they want delay."

   Foreign ministers are on the way; it's said a vote will be held at 3 pm on July 21. But on what language?

  Australian Ambassador Gary Quinlan arrived at 10:55 pm, stopping to say there is no reason any Council member should not support the earlier draft.  Video here.

  When past midnight the consultations ended, the UK's Lyall Grant said there WILL be a vote on July 21 at 3 pm, with one or two minor changes. Inner City Press will be following this.

 Back on July 18 the UN Security Council at 10 am  issued a Press Statement on Malaysian Airlines MH17 down(ed) in Eastern Ukraine.

  Meanwhile earlier on July 18 the Syrian Coalition rebels put out a press release that they should be given "advanced weapons."

   Here is what the Syrian Coalition, until recently headed by Saudi backed Ahmad Al Jarba and now headed by Saudi backed Hadi Al Bahra, said:

Also on Syria, on July 14 when the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on humanitarian access to Syria, its Operative Paragraph 11 said the Council “affirms that it will take further measures in the event of non-compliance with this resolution or resolution 2139 (2014) by any Syrian party.”

 Afterward, Australia's Permanent Representative to the UN Gary Quilan emphasized at the media stakeout that resolutions are binding, that the Council had affirmed that it will take measures if not complied with by the parties. Video here, from Minute 2:10

  Inner City Press sought to ask a question about a statement inside the Security Council by Russia's Vitaly Churkin, and Quinlan agreed to take the question. Inner City Press asked Quinlan to respond to Churkin saying that the resolution “doesn't plan for automatism” in sanctions or the use of force, that any such steps would require the specific consideration of the Security Council and “convincing evidence.” Video of Churkin's statement here, from Minute 25.

  Quinlan replied that what Churkin said was correct, then said that while there would have to be a further decision by the Security Council about what measures to take, the decision that some measures would be taken has already been made. Video here from Minute 18.

Readers can draw their own conclusion how meaningful it is to claim that a decision to definitely act has been made, if another vote including veto powers is required.

Footnote: Asking this question was not easy. The first question was given to Voice of America; the second taken by the whip of the UN Correspondents Association's president, sometimes writing for the Huffington Post. She then tried to keep the UN Television boom microphone operator for giving the microphone to Inner City Press -- even as Ambassador Quinlan said, “Matthew... what Ambassador Churkin said was correct.”

  This UNCA, becoming the UN's Censorship Alliance, seems to believe it can block questions (as well as having tried to get Inner City Press thrown out after its reporting about Sri Lanka, here). The new (and resulting) Free UN Coalition for Access opposes this.

  To come full circle, acknowledging deft diplomacy by Australia and its co-leads Jordan and Luxembourg on this resolution, it is sometimes hard not to note the contradiction of Australia returning asylum seekers from Sri Lanka after only “reviewing” their claims on a ship. Inner City Press has asked Ambassador Quinlan about this, and we hope to have a story on the topic soon. Watch this site.