At
UN
on Syria,
Stalling on
Violence
Against
Security
Forces, Text
Online Here
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 3 -- As
the UN
Security
Council
haltingly
reconvened
on Syria
Wednesday
morning, if
and how to
refer to
violence
against
security
forces, and
what's called
the
"container" or
format,
resolution or
Presidential
Statement,
remained at
issue.
The
draft text
sent to
capitals
Tuesday night,
which Inner
City Press has
obtained
and is pasting
below as a
public
service,
refers to and
"immediate end
to all
violence [,
including
violence
against
security
forces]."
The
brackets
indicate it is
not agreed to.
On Wednesday
morning Inner
City Press
asked a
Western
spokesman if
his country
could live
with a text
condemning
violating
against
security
forces.
He
replied,
"No...
not
appropriate as
you have
civilians are
defending
themselves
against an
unacceptable
crackdown."
Inner
City Press
then asked
South African
Permanent
Representative
Baso Sangqu
about
the issue. He
said "we'll
have to find
the language,
there has
to be some
reference"
because there
are "armed
gangs"
in Syria.
Given
buzz about
Lebanon
disassociating
itself from a
Presidential
Statement,
which is
usually
understood to
require 15-0
consensus,
Ambassador
Sangqu said,
"there's
precedent in
the past.
We're trying
to find a way.
This
is very
difficult for
Lebanon."
Inner
City Press
pointed out,
"No court is
going to
review."
Ambassador
Sangqu
replied,
"Exactly.
We're going to
find a way."
Then,
after a
meeting of
less than ten
minutes, the
Council broke
up for 30
minutes
for "one on
one" talks.
Update
of 11:23 am -
the 30 minutes
went longer;
it was Western
explained that
Russia asked
for the "Perm
Reps only"
meeting, to
discuss a
package
deal. US
Ambassador
Susan Rice
came out and
said "things
are moving."
She left "for
a Cabinet
meeting," she
said. Western
spokespeople
very upbeat;
an IBSA rep
too. Could it
be?
Amb. Maria
Viotti of
Brazil, with
Hardeep of
India and
Churkin:
Brazil points
now shown
Here
is the text
with five
brackets sent
to capitals
Tuesday night:
Express
grave
concern at the
deteriorating
situation in
Syria, and
express
profound
regret
at the death
of many
hundreds of
people.
Condemn
systematic
violations of
human rights
and the use of
force against
[unarmed]
civilians
[by the Syrian
authorities].
Call
for
an immediate
end to all
violence [,
including
violence
against
security
forces],
and
urge all sides
to act with
utmost
restraint, and
to refrain
from
reprisals.
Call
on
the Syrian
authorities to
fully respect
human rights
and to comply
with their
obligations
under
applicable
international
law, and call
for a credible
and
impartial
national
investigation
into the
violence in
Syria. Those
responsible
for the
violence
should
be held
accountable.
Note
the
announced
commitments by
the Syrian
authorities to
reform, and
regret the
lack
of progress in
implementation,
and call upon
the Syrian
Government to
implement
their
commitments.
Reaffirm
its
strong
commitment to
the
sovereignty,
independence,
and
territorial
integrity
of Syria.
Stress
that
the only
solution to
the current
crisis in
Syria is
through an
inclusive and
Syrian-led
political
process, with
the aim of
effectively
addressing the
legitimate
aspirations
and concerns
of the
population
which will
allow the full
exercise of
fundamental
freedoms for
its entire
population,
including that
of expression
and peaceful
assembly.
Call
on
the Syrian
authorities to
alleviate the
humanitarian
situation in
crisis areas
[by
ceasing
military
operations
against
affected
towns], to
allow
[immediate
and]
unhindered
access
for
international
humanitarian
agencies and
workers, and
cooperate
fully with
the
Office of the
High
Commissioner
for Human
Rights
[mission].
[Request
the
Secretary-General
to update the
Security
Council on the
situation
in Syria
within
7 days.]
, 
in