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Vitriol Overpowers Diplomacy as U.N. Meets Hastily on Syria Vitriol Overpowers Diplomacy as U.N. Meets Hastily on Syria
(about 1 hour later)
The United Nations envoy for Syria pleaded on Sunday for the Security Council to halt what he called “new heights of horror,” only to be followed by a barrage of blame and denial by the big powers backing opposing sides in the war.The United Nations envoy for Syria pleaded on Sunday for the Security Council to halt what he called “new heights of horror,” only to be followed by a barrage of blame and denial by the big powers backing opposing sides in the war.
The American side accused Russia of “barbarism,” Britain accused Russia of committing war crimes, and the Russian side blamed its rivals for unleashing terrorist groups across the Middle East and remained unbowed in its support for the Syrian government.The American side accused Russia of “barbarism,” Britain accused Russia of committing war crimes, and the Russian side blamed its rivals for unleashing terrorist groups across the Middle East and remained unbowed in its support for the Syrian government.
The vitriol, at an emergency Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, overshadowed any semblance of diplomacy.The vitriol, at an emergency Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, overshadowed any semblance of diplomacy.
The most notable remark by Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, was praise for Russia’s ally, the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. The government, Mr. Churkin said, had shown “enviable restraint.”The most notable remark by Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, was praise for Russia’s ally, the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. The government, Mr. Churkin said, had shown “enviable restraint.”
The Council meeting came as months of diplomacy by the United States and Russia collapsed on the sidelines of the General Assembly conclave last week after a deadly attack on a United Nations aid convoy. Efforts to revive a temporary cessation of hostilities failed, and frustration mounted among American allies that the closed-door negotiations between Washington and Moscow had yielded no relief.The Council meeting came as months of diplomacy by the United States and Russia collapsed on the sidelines of the General Assembly conclave last week after a deadly attack on a United Nations aid convoy. Efforts to revive a temporary cessation of hostilities failed, and frustration mounted among American allies that the closed-door negotiations between Washington and Moscow had yielded no relief.
Mr. Churkin spoke so quickly in the Council that the official interpreter had trouble keeping up, and at one point the ambassador, visibly exasperated, complained about it.Mr. Churkin spoke so quickly in the Council that the official interpreter had trouble keeping up, and at one point the ambassador, visibly exasperated, complained about it.
He accused the Americans of having no influence over the rebel groups they backed, and repeated his government’s contention that no cease-fire was possible until all opposition groups distanced themselves from the Nusra Front, an extremist group that now calls itself the Levant Conquest Front and that both Russia and the United States consider a terrorist organization.He accused the Americans of having no influence over the rebel groups they backed, and repeated his government’s contention that no cease-fire was possible until all opposition groups distanced themselves from the Nusra Front, an extremist group that now calls itself the Levant Conquest Front and that both Russia and the United States consider a terrorist organization.
The American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, took sharp digs at Mr. Churkin even before he began speaking, dismissing Russia’s effort to blame everyone else and refusing to account for its actions. The American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, took sharp digs at Mr. Churkin even before he began speaking, dismissing Russia’s effort as a means of blaming everyone else and refusing to account for its actions.
“Instead of pursuing peace, Russia and Assad make war,” she said. “Instead of helping get lifesaving aid to civilians, Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders who are trying desperately to keep people alive.”“Instead of pursuing peace, Russia and Assad make war,” she said. “Instead of helping get lifesaving aid to civilians, Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders who are trying desperately to keep people alive.”
She went on to say that the United States needed no reminders about the threat of terrorist groups. “What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counterterrorism,” she said. “It is barbarism.”She went on to say that the United States needed no reminders about the threat of terrorist groups. “What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counterterrorism,” she said. “It is barbarism.”
She urged the Council to call out Russia for aiding Syrian warplanes as they bombard rebel-held areas in Syria. The United States has accused Russia of taking part in the bombing of the aid convoy last Monday, a charge that Russia has denied. She urged the Council to call out Russia for aiding Syrian warplanes as they bombard rebel-held areas in Syria. The United States has accused Russia of taking part in the bombing of the aid convoy last Monday, a charge Russia has denied.
When the Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari, began speaking, Ms. Power left the chamber, along with her counterparts from Britain and France, according to diplomats. When the Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari, began speaking, Ms. Power left the chamber along with her counterparts from Britain and France, according to diplomats.
The British envoy, Matthew Rycroft, accused Russia of “partnering with the Syrian regime to carry out war crimes.”The British envoy, Matthew Rycroft, accused Russia of “partnering with the Syrian regime to carry out war crimes.”
The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said the government was carrying out countless airstrikes on residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure in rebel-held parts of Aleppo — a potential war crime. The ferocity of the attacks in Aleppo in recent days has left about 2 million people in the city without running water. The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said the government was carrying out countless airstrikes on residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure in rebel-held parts of Aleppo — a potential war crime. The ferocity of the recent attacks in Aleppo has left about two million people in the city without running water.
Mr. de Mistura called for 48-hour pauses in the fighting to let in humanitarian aid and evacuate the severely wounded. He warned ominously of “a slow, grinding, street-by-street fight, over the course of months, if not years,” if the Syrian government was intent on a military victory in Aleppo.Mr. de Mistura called for 48-hour pauses in the fighting to let in humanitarian aid and evacuate the severely wounded. He warned ominously of “a slow, grinding, street-by-street fight, over the course of months, if not years,” if the Syrian government was intent on a military victory in Aleppo.
“My appeal to this Council today is the following: Please develop a common course of action to enforce a cessation of hostilities in Syria,” he said. He refused to quit, saying it “would be a signal that the international community is abandoning the Syrians.”“My appeal to this Council today is the following: Please develop a common course of action to enforce a cessation of hostilities in Syria,” he said. He refused to quit, saying it “would be a signal that the international community is abandoning the Syrians.”