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UN Security Council condemns Syrian violence

04 August 2011 00:10 (UTC +04:00)

Following months of debate, it was the first statement by the 15-nation council voicing condemnation since popular unrest broke out in Syria in mid-March.

The protests have been met with harsh military repression. More than 1,500 people have been killed in the resulting violence, according to human rights advocates. Damascus has said hundreds of its security personnel have been killed.

The council issued a presidential statement, which needed unanimous approval by council members, but does not carry the same weight as a resolution. Several council members, including Russia and China, had opposed the issuing of a resolution.

The statement read by council president, India’s UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria and "profound regret at the death of many hundreds of people."

The council said the "only solution" to the current crisis is for the government of President Bashar Assad to work out an "inclusive and Syrian-led political process" that will effectively recognize the Syrian people’s legitimate aspirations and concerns. It said the entire population must be given fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.

After the council issued the statement, a delegate from Lebanon said the country disassociated itself from the statement. Puri told reporters that he recognized the Lebanese disassociation, and noted that the text had been approved by the body before he read it.

According to Lebanese television, the Lebanese envoy abstained from the voting and repeated its support for the Syrian government.

"Today more than ever the Lebanese stand by Syria and its sovereignty and the council’s statement does not help improve the situation there, that’s why Lebanon is dissociating itself from the statement," Lebanese television quoted the envoy as saying.

The council called for an "immediate end to all violence and urged all sides to act with utmost restraint, and to refrain from reprisals, including attacks against state institutions."

It called on the "Syrian authorities to fully respect human rights and to comply with their obligations under applicable international law. Those responsible for the violence should be held accountable."

It said that the government had committed to carry out reforms, but that it regretted "the lack of progress in implementation."

In a bow to Damascus, the council reaffirmed "strong commitment" to Syrian sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

By choosing the issuance of a statement instead of further pursuing a stronger measure, the council appeared to be seeking to end the rift among members over Syria.

Germany, Britain, France, Portugal and the US - the Western governments in the council - were in favour of strong condemnation and a binding resolution.

Other council members - Russia, China, Brazil, India and South Africa - were opposed to a resolution. Russia and China could veto a resolution if pushed by the other permanent members - the US, France and Britain.

The United States said earlier Wednesday that a move by the council was "long overdue."

"We’ve been working with our partners in trying to increase pressure on Syria. And we believe a statement or action from the Security Council would be a step in that direction," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had met with US-based Syrian activists on Tuesday. She said the US would explore additional sanctions against the Syrian regime.

The US ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, had been in Washington for confirmation hearings in the Senate this week and said that violence in the country was getting worse.