UN Security Council talks on Syria has virtually collapsed, leaving the major powers heading for a veto showdown on a proposal to impose sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad. Russia will veto a western resolution linking the renewal of the UN mission with sanctions when it comes to a vote on Wednesday, its UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said after council talks. A rival Russian resolution just proposing to renew the UN mission would fail to get enough votes from the 15 council members to pass, US envoy Susan Rice told reporters. Russia is Assad's main ally. The 90-day mandate of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) ends on Friday and if no resolution is passed by then it would have to shut down this weekend, diplomats said. Rice said it would be "immoral" to leave the nearly 300 unarmed observers in Syria if the council was not going to pressure Assad to carry out the peace plan of UN-Arab League envoy Koffi Annan. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the West of using "elements of blackmail" by trying to get Russia to agree to link sanctions to the renewal of the UNSMIS mandate. Britain, France, United States, Germany and Portugal want a vote on their resolution -- proposing sanctions under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter -- on Wednesday. "We will see, I made it very clear we are going to vote against this resolution," Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters after the latest tense talks between ambassadors of the 15-nation council. A Russian vote against is a veto of any council resolution. Britain, China, France and the United States also have the veto power as permanent members. Churkin said the only job of the council was to extend the UNSMIS mandate. "If people want to attach their individual political agendas, it means they do not want this mission to continue." US envoy Rice countered that the rival Russian resolution would not get the required minimum number of votes to pass. "I don't think there are nine votes for the Russian draft," she said Rice, who has previously said the United States could block the extension of the UN mission, said that continuing UNSMIS was "questionable" as there is no ceasefire in Syria and no political process.
Syria, clashes between the government troops and the opposition armed groups continued overnight and after daybreak today in a number of rebellious southern neighborhoods of Damascus, which have emerged as strongholds for armed insurgency. Syrian troops launched a wide-scale operation on Sunday in Midan, Tadamun, Zamalka, Harasta, Jobar, Qaboun and nearby areas and the operation continued as a result of the armed response from the other armed parties.
Media reports said the army has given a deadline for the armed rebels to surrender themselves and lay down their weapons. The urban battles have sent many people to flee their homes and seek refuge in other areas. According to reports, scores of gunmen have reportedly got killed in the clashes. The capital clashes mark a new escalation in the 16-months unrest and cast dim shadow over the prospect of a foreseeable solution in the near future. Armed clashes have also been reported in a number of other provinces such as Homs, Daraa and Idlib.
Syrian consulate in Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty has been seriously damaged by a fire which staff blamed on an arson attack. Kazakh private KTK television said today the entire third floor of the building where the consul’s office was situated and documents held had burned down entirely along with all the archives.
It said that staff believed attackers had thrown petrol bombs at the building and were convinced foul play was the cause as no valuables had been taken. There was no immediate comment from the local police.
Syria, clashes between the government troops and the opposition armed groups continued overnight and after daybreak today in a number of rebellious southern neighborhoods of Damascus, which have emerged as strongholds for armed insurgency. Syrian troops launched a wide-scale operation on Sunday in Midan, Tadamun, Zamalka, Harasta, Jobar, Qaboun and nearby areas and the operation continued as a result of the armed response from the other armed parties.
Media reports said the army has given a deadline for the armed rebels to surrender themselves and lay down their weapons. The urban battles have sent many people to flee their homes and seek refuge in other areas. According to reports, scores of gunmen have reportedly got killed in the clashes. The capital clashes mark a new escalation in the 16-months unrest and cast dim shadow over the prospect of a foreseeable solution in the near future. Armed clashes have also been reported in a number of other provinces such as Homs, Daraa and Idlib.
Syrian consulate in Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty has been seriously damaged by a fire which staff blamed on an arson attack. Kazakh private KTK television said today the entire third floor of the building where the consul’s office was situated and documents held had burned down entirely along with all the archives.
It said that staff believed attackers had thrown petrol bombs at the building and were convinced foul play was the cause as no valuables had been taken. There was no immediate comment from the local police.
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