Annan, Ban press Russia, China to back Syria action
UNITED NATIONS: Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon were to head for
Russia and China yesterday to press the two UN Security Council doubters
to back tougher action against President Bashar al-Assad to halt the
slaughter in Syria.
The visits by the UN-Arab League envoy and the UN leader come at a
crucial new stage in the 16-month old conflict. The Security Council has
until Friday to renew the UN mission in Syria but is divided over
Western calls to add sanctions.
“So divided that maybe Annan and Ban now have the most influence over
Russia and China to get anything done,” said one senior UN council
diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Russia has led the resistance and Annan is to meet President Vladimir
Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during two days of talks in
Moscow, said his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi.
Russia's reluctance to act against its Damascus ally has seen it hold
up a UN Security Council statement condemning the massacre of more than
150 people in the village of Treimsa on Thursday.
A draft statement which said the Syria government is in “violation”
of its international commitments was circulated among the 15 council
nations on Friday, diplomats said. Russia's envoys said they could not
agree without approval from Moscow.
China has supported Russia's rejections and Ban was to head for
Beijing yesterday officially for a China-Africa summit.
But Syria will top his talks agenda when he meets President Hu Jintao,
Premier Wen Jiabao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other leaders, said
a UN official.Ban has said that international inaction on Syria would be
giving “a license for further massacres.”
He already urged China to use its “influence” to back Annan's peace
plan when he spoke with Yang by telephone on Saturday, said UN spokesman
Martin Nesirky.
AFP |