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STORY: GENEVA / HRC SYRIAN RESOLUTION
TRT: 3.09
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC, RUSSIAN, CHINESE, ENGLISH, SPANISH
DATELINE: 28 SEPTEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
FILE – 2011, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Palais, Geneva
28 SEPTEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco, United Nations:
“The International Commission of Inquiry in Syria presented its final report last week to this very Human Rights Council and in this report it confirms that war crimes and crimes against humanity which are being perpetrated every day, including the use of heavy weaponry against the civilian population, as well as the massacres which are being committed every day. We can add to this the assassination of peaceful demonstrators, those defending upholding human rights as well as the use of torture and sexual violence. This grave situation persists throughout Syria.”
3. Cutaway, Saudi Arabia delegation
4. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Maria Khodynskaya-Golenishcheva, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, United Nations:
“Unfortunately, some states are de facto encouraging terrorists, therefore we have no doubts that the episode in Houlah is definitely being whipped up in the media and being used to carry out force against this country and in this connection we are forced to submit this draft to a vote and to vote against it. We call on the members of this Council not to support the resolution.”
5. Cutaway:
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, Permanent Representative of the United States, United Nations:
“Sadly as this 21st Council session comes to a close, Assad continues to cling to power and his campaign of brutality has sparked a deepening humanitarian crisis. We cannot afford to be silent.”
7. Cutaway:
8. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Ambassador Xia Jingge, Permanent Representative of China, United Nations:
“The international community must honestly respect Syria's independence and sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and the right of its people to choose their own political system and development path. The political transition there must be led by the Syrian people and not be imposed from outside.”
9. Cutaway, Chinese delegation
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, Permanent Representative of Syria, United Nations:
“This draft resolution does not reflect reality in Syria. It is based on accusations which are in many cases purely fictitious such as the vain accusations regarding the Houlah massacres. The two massacres which we have condemned in the strongest terms, especially as the Commission of Inquiry has not visited Syria. It has not gone to visit any of the places in Syria and it has not come categorically to these conclusions as to who has perpetrated these crimes.”
11. Wide shot, Board showing results of Vote: 41 in favor 3 abstentions (India, Philippines, Uganda): 3 against (China, Cuba, Russia)
Members of the Human Rights Council today (28 September) voted to extend the commission of inquiry on Syria, calling for full cooperation from the Syrian authorities with the commission, including granting the team access to the country to carry out their inquiry.
The resolution, presented to the Council and supported by 69 members, received 41 votes in favor, with Russia, China and Cuba voting against. The resolution also condemned the "heinous crimes committed by the Syrian authorities, and its affiliated militias "Shabiha", against Syrian civilians" calling for an immediate and complete cessation of the violence and killings.
The ambassador of Morocco said the International Commission of Inquiry in Syria presented its final report last week to the Council and their report confirmed that war crimes and crimes against humanity which are being perpetrated every day.
The Russian Federation said that her delegation voted against the Resolution because of a number of "unacceptable provisions", including the Commission's findings that the Syrian government forces and the Shabiha militia, were responsible for the massacre in Al-Houleh, where predominantly women and children were killed. Maria Khodynskaya-Golenishcheva said that some states were “de facto encouraging terrorists”, and added that there was not sufficient evidence to support the verdict. She said that the episode in Al Houlah was being "whipped up" by the media.
United States Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe said she regretted that President Syrian Bahsar-Al-Assad continued “to cling to power”, adding, “We cannot afford to be silent”.
Meanwhile China’s Ambassador said that the international community should respect Syrian sovereignty and independence. Ambassador Xia Jingge said that the political transition should be led by the Syrian people and not "imposed from outside".
Syria’s Ambassador said that the draft resolution did not reflect reality in Syria. Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui said that the resolution was based on “accusations which are in many cases purely fictitious such as the vain accusations regarding the Houlah massacres”.
