UN / SYRIA COMPETING RESOLUTIONS

The UN Security Council today failed to reach consensus on either of two competing resolutions on a cessation of hostilities in Idlib, Syria: the last province in the war-torn nation that is still largely held by rebel forces. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:08
• Production Date: 19 September 2019
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; Russian
• Personal Subject: URSULA MUELLER
• Corporate Name: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 2451238
• Parent Id: 2451238
• Alternate Title: unifeed190919d

Description

STORY: UN / SYRIA
TRT: 3:08
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE/ ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 18 SEPTEMBER 2019, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE
1. Wide shot, United Nations

19 SEPTEMBER 2019, NEW YORK CITY

2. Various shots, Security Council voting
3. Close up, Bashar Ja’afari, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations
4. Various shots, Security Council voting
5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of September:
“Once again to force Russia to use a veto on the Syrian subject – we from the outset have warned the cosponsors that their resolution in this form is doomed to failure. They knew this.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kelly Craft, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“We strongly support the resolution drafted by Kuwait, Belgium and Germany, which includes a meaningful ceasefire to the ongoing hostilities in Idlib and will protect civilians and provided needed accountability measures. All Council members should support this draft. Finally, efforts by other members of the Council to promote a separate resolution that denies the people of Syria a full ceasefire will not bring halt to the suffering of Syrians and should not receive support from any members of this Council.
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations:
“Under such a context, to steamroll a draft resolution that has major controversies to vote is clearly unconstructive and this move will not achieve the expected result.”
10. Med shot, Security Council President
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar Jaafari, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations:
“It has become clear that this pen runs dry when it comes to the war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been and continue to be committed by the so-called international coalition, led by the United States, and its proxies from terrorist organizations and affiliated illegal militias.”
12. Close up, Kelly Craft, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations:
“Further fighting will endanger and displace thousands of civilians. Further displacement will create even more needs. Further needs will stretch humanitarians that are already at their limit. The world is watching, Mr. President, in hopes that a more humane outlook for Syria will be created, one where civilians are safe, needs are addressed, and humanitarians are protected.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council

Storyline

The UN Security Council today (19 Sep) failed to reach consensus on either of two competing resolutions on a cessation of hostilities in Idlib, Syria: the last province in the war-torn nation that is still largely held by rebel forces.

Belgium, Germany and Kuwait tabled a draft proposing a humanitarian ceasefire, which garnered 12 out of 15 votes.

Permanent members Russia and China used their right to veto, blocking its adoption. Their own resolution, which highlighted terrorism concerns by extremist groups operating inside the region, also failed to pass, with nine members voting against and four abstaining.

Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations, said, “The world is watching…in hopes that a more humane outlook for Syria will be created, one where civilians are safe, needs are addressed, and humanitarians are protected.”

Syrian ambassador Bashar Jaafari said the Council was witnessing a serial farce led by its three western permanent members, who he said were hiding behind the humanitarian pen holders. He said, “It has become clear that this pen runs dry when it comes to the war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been and continue to be committed by the so-called international coalition, led by the United States, and its proxies from terrorist organizations and affiliated illegal militias.”

Jaafari said the draft was presented to manipulate the humanitarian situation for political purposes and to embarrass the Russian presidency of the Security Council.

Humanitarians reach more than 1.6 million people in the Idlib region every month through cross-border operations from Turkey.

Some 400,000 residents have fled their homes since May, following an escalation of military operations. They have been pushed to areas near the border, which are already densely populated, thus further straining host communities.