Arab nations back UN motion on Syria violence
The UN Human Rights Council voted 33 to four to condemn the violence by Syrian authorities — underscoring the growing international isolation of President Bashar al-Assad — and dispatch a human rights team to probe alleged atrocities since March.
The countries backing the condemnation included all four Arab voting members of the council — Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Russia and China voted against, along with Cuba and Ecuador.
The remaining countries on the 47-nation council abstained or were absent.
Western diplomats quickly capitalised on the resolution’s strong support and the symbolism of the council’s Arab members voting in favour of it.
US ambassador Eileen Donahoe said the broad consensus shows the extent to which Assad has become isolated.
Jeremy Browne, a junior British Foreign Office minister, said the resolution also sends “a clear message to the Syrian regime that the brutal repression must stop and that those responsible for the violence will be held to account for their crimes”.
The council also decided to dispatch a team of international human rights investigators “to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March” in Syria.
China and Russia said they opposed the measure as unnecessary intervention.
