MESOP SYRIA UPDATE : Russia Blocks UN Resolution for Aleppo Ceasefire

December 06 – 2016 – Russia and China have vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a seven-day truce in the besieged and bombarded opposition-held areas of Syria’s largest city Aleppo.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had signalled before Monday’s vote that Moscow’s veto would be used, as all “terrorists” to be removed from the city.

The veto allows pro-Assad forces to maintain their offensive that has taken about 1/3 of opposition territory since November 26. Russia and the regime reimposed a siege on the area in late August, and Russian-regime aerial attacks have killed more than 1,200 civilians since September 19.

While up to 50,000 civilians are believed to have fled to regime- or Kurdish-controlled territory, more than 200,000 are thought to remain in the opposition districts.

The veto was the sixth used by Russia to block a resolution on Syria since the uprising began in March 2011. China has joined Moscow on five occasions.“These kinds of pauses have been used by fighters to reinforce their ammunition and to strengthen their positions and this will only worsen the suffering of civilians,” Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin asserted.Moscow’s line is now that it will speak with the US about the removal of all rebels from eastern Aleppo city. The discussions, began last week between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Lavrov, will continue in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday.

While Kerry has ended his ban on discussions with Moscow — proclaimed in October amid the Russian-regime siege and air assault — the US maintained its public condemnation in the UN. Deputy Ambassador Michele Sison said:

That is a made-up alibi. We have not reached a breakthrough because Russia has been more focused on preserving its military gains than helping Aleppo’s citizens. We will not let Russia string along this Security Council while waiting for a compromise from the Russians that never seems to come. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said, “(Russia and China) have chosen to veto not because of a lack of consultation, but because of their long-standing, misplaced faith in a despot who has killed nearly half a million of his own people.” www.mesop.de