UNITED NATIONS: Members of the United Nations Safety Council on Monday (Dec 9) mentioned the fluid state of affairs in Syria after president Bashar al-Assad’s fall, opting to face by and await additional developments, in response to ambassadors who attended the closed-door assembly.
“The council, I believe, was kind of united on the necessity to protect the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to make sure the safety of civilians, to make sure that humanitarian support is coming,” Vassili Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, advised reporters after the emergency assembly requested by Moscow.
Russia was a key ally of Assad, who was toppled by Islamist-led rebels over the weekend after a brief and beautiful offensive.
“However look, everybody was taken without warning by the occasions, everybody, together with the members of the council. So now we have to attend to see how the state of affairs will evolve,” he mentioned.
Deputy United States Ambassador Robert Wooden referred to as it “a really fluid state of affairs”.
“Nobody anticipated the Syrian forces to fall like a home of playing cards,” he continued.
“As many of us mentioned within the consultations … the state of affairs is extraordinarily fluid and is prone to change each day in the intervening time,” Woods mentioned.
Nevertheless, Woods famous that “nearly everybody spoke in regards to the want for Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence to be revered and concern in regards to the humanitarian state of affairs”, indicating the council is engaged on a joint assertion.
“The intention is for the council to talk with one voice on the state of affairs in Syria,” he mentioned.
When requested in regards to the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which led the insurgent coalition which toppled Assad, and whether or not it could be faraway from the UN sanctions listing, each Nebenzia and Wooden mentioned the council has not but broached the subject.
For the reason that Syrian civil warfare first broke out in 2011, the UN Safety Council has largely been paralysed in its response, with Russia constantly utilizing its veto energy to guard Assad’s authorities.