UN assembly to vote on Syria resolution
UN assembly to vote on Syria resolution
The UN General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution on Friday condemning the Syrian Security Council’s failure to stop the violence in the country.
The anti-Syria resolution is expected to easily pass in the 193-member General Assembly after Arab nations dropped an explicit demand for the President Bashar al-Assad to quit and called for the other nations to inflict sanctions on Syria over its civil war.
However, unlike a Security Council resolution, it will not be legally binding as all UN General Assembly resolutions are advisory.
Russia and China, which have cast a double-veto in the Security Council three times to kill resolutions that could enforce sanctions on Syria, are expected to vote against the text.
The proposed resolution, drafted by Saudi Arabia, condemns the Syrian government’s use of tanks, artillery, helicopters and warplanes on the people of Damascus and Aleppo. The text also demands that Syria refrain from using chemical and biological weapons.
“The aim is to increase pressure on the Assad government. We want as many people to back this which is why some changes have been made,” one Arab diplomat told the news agency.
On Thursday the Assembly was overshadowed by the resignation of U.N -Arab League Convey Kofi Annan, whose proposals for the peace in the Syria were failed.
Announcing his decision, Mr Annan said growing violence had made his job indefensible.
On the other hand Syrian forces continued to target the lodges of rebels in the different cites on Thursday and more then 170 people killed in the massacre.
According to Syrian activists, more than 20,000 people have been killed since an uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011.
