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Russia Resisting Europe Request for Tough U.N. Anti-Smuggling Step Russia Resisting Europe Request for Tough U.N. Anti-Smuggling Step
(about 3 hours later)
UNITED NATIONS — A European bid to obtain Security Council approval for a military operation against boats suspected of human smuggling on the Mediterranean Sea is running into Russian efforts to ensure it cannot be used to justify a broader military intervention, diplomats here said. UNITED NATIONS — A European bid to obtain Security Council approval for a military operation against boats suspected of human smuggling on the Mediterranean Sea is running into opposition from Russia, which wants to ensure that it cannot be used to justify a broader military intervention, diplomats here said.
The Europeans are seeking a Security Council resolution, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, that would allow them to send their military forces to inspect and seize vessels used for smuggling migrants in the international waters of the Mediterranean.The Europeans are seeking a Security Council resolution, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, that would allow them to send their military forces to inspect and seize vessels used for smuggling migrants in the international waters of the Mediterranean.
Russia is still embittered over a previous resolution, under Chapter VII of the charter, adopted in 2011, authorizing “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya and eventually paving the way for military intervention. Russia abstained on that measure, allowing it to pass. It is now intent on thwarting any measure that could, in the future, permit further military action, said the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly I. Churkin. Russia is still embittered over a resolution adopted in 2011, also under Chapter VII of the charter, authorizing “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya and eventually paving the way for military intervention. Russia abstained on that measure, allowing it to pass. It is now intent on thwarting any measure that could permit further military action, said the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly I. Churkin.
“You cannot take this situation and produce a resolution which might allow, I don’t know, nuclear bombing on the Mediterranean,” he said in an interview on Monday. “This is our concern. “We need to formulate it in a focused way without giving authorization for other things that are not required.” “You cannot take this situation and produce a resolution which might allow, I don’t know, nuclear bombing on the Mediterranean,” he said in an interview on Monday. “This is our concern. We need to formulate it in a focused way without giving authorization for other things that are not required.”
A draft was expected to be circulated among all 15 members of the council on Tuesday, and negotiations were to continue in the coming days. Western diplomats said they were making progress and hoped the resolution could be adopted before the arrival of world leaders for the annual General Assembly session that starts at month’s end. A draft was expected to be circulated among all 15 members of the council on Tuesday, and negotiations were to continue in the coming days. Western diplomats said they were making progress and hoped the resolution would be adopted before the arrival of world leaders for the annual General Assembly session that starts at month’s end.
The Russian ambassador said that he wanted to ensure such a resolution did not set a precedent, and that he would not consent to the entire resolution being under Chapter VII of the charter, which authorizes potential military action. Russia is a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council and presides over its September session. Mr. Churkin said that he wanted to ensure such a resolution did not set a precedent, and that he would not consent to the entire resolution’s being under Chapter VII, which authorizes potential military action. Russia is a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council and presides over its September session.
“You need to be clear what actually you’re authorizing, not to run away with a huge authorization which later on people will say we’ve been authorized to do this and to do that,” he said. “You need to be clear what actually you’re authorizing, not to run away with a huge authorization which later on people will say, ‘We’ve been authorized to do this and to do that,’ ” he said.
Consideration of the resolution comes as the European Union is struggling to stop people from taking increasingly desperate measures to reach Europe. There is no consensus on which countries will shelter them or how many they will take. The European Union is struggling to stop people from taking increasingly desperate measures to reach Europe. There is no consensus on which countries will shelter the migrants or how many they will take.
The migration crisis stands to be among the most important issue at the General Assembly session this year. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to lead a special meeting on the crisis with world leaders. The migration crisis stands to be among the most important issues at the General Assembly session this year. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to lead a special meeting on the crisis with world leaders.
The draft resolution is a step down from what the Europeans wanted earlier this year — to be able to go to the shores of Libya to seize smugglers’ assets. That plan was quashed when the Libyan government authorities recognized by the West said they could not give permission.The draft resolution is a step down from what the Europeans wanted earlier this year — to be able to go to the shores of Libya to seize smugglers’ assets. That plan was quashed when the Libyan government authorities recognized by the West said they could not give permission.
The text that diplomats are negotiating now would allow European forces to inspect and seize the vessel of a suspected smuggler without necessarily awaiting the permission of the vessel’s flag state. The people on the vessels would be taken to European shores, diplomats said, so they can apply for political asylum. Europe wants to prosecute the smugglers in its courts, as a way to disrupt a thriving international business. The text that diplomats are negotiating now would allow European forces to inspect and seize the vessel of a person suspected of smuggling without necessarily awaiting the permission of the vessel’s flag state. The people on the vessel would be taken to European shores, diplomats said, so they could apply for political asylum. Europe wants to prosecute the smugglers in its courts as a way to disrupt a thriving international business.