UN gets tough with Syria

2005-11-01 07:45

United Nations - The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding full Syrian co-operation with the UN probe into the murder of Lebanon's ex-premier Rafiq Hariri after dropping any specific threat of sanctions.

The council voted 15-0 to endorse the resolution, sponsored by Britain, France and the United States, which enjoins Damascus to co-operate with the UN probe led by chief investigator Detlev Mehlis or face unspecified "further action".

The text demands that Syria detain suspects and urges a travel ban and a freeze of assets on all individuals designated as suspects in Hariri's killing.

But to gain crucial support from veto-wielding China and Russia as well as Algeria, the only Arab member of the council, Britain, France and the United States dropped a reference threatening economic and diplomatic sanctions under the UN Charter.

Syria appointed own probe

Instead the final resolution noted that if the Mehlis commission deems that future Syrian co-operation does not meet the requirements of the resolution, "the council, if necessary, could consider further action." It did not say what the action could be.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice painted Syria as a global pariah that faced a "strategic decision" to return to the international fold or face serious consequences.

"Syria's leaders must understand that the Security Council, and through it the international community as a whole, will not tolerate anything less than immediate and complete co-operation, and that it will draw the consequences of any failure by the Syrian authorities to meet their obligations," French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy.

The final text reflected concessions made to opponents of sanctions against Syria, particularly China which again flexed its growing diplomatic muscle.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said it would "be inappropriate" to threaten Syria with sanctions.

"The Mehlis report is still a preliminary report and the commission itself believes that the investigation is yet to be completed and there is no final conclusion," Li told the council.

"Under such circumstances it is inappropriate for the council to prejudge the outcome of the investigation and to threaten to impose sanctions," he added.

Straw and Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara meanwhile traded angry words in the council over the resolution.

Dismissing the adoption of the resolution as "illogical," al-Shara said implicating Syrian officials in the murder was akin to implicating the US, Spanish and British governments in terrorist acts on their territory, including the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In response to growing international pressure, Syria on Saturday also announced it was setting up its own enquiry into the murder.

- AFP