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21:49 GMT
NEW YORK, June 23 (KUNA) -- Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin on Monday suggested that the Security Council look into press reports that terrorists in Syria and Iraq are controlling oil wells with the intention to sell it and finance their terrorist activities.
"We understand from various media reports that both in Syria and Iraq oil wells are controlled by terrorist groups and somehow they are able to sell that oil to foreign bidders. So it does amount to financing of terrorism. There is no other way to see it. We think the Security Council should look into this issue very thoroughly," Churkin told reporters following a closed-door briefing by UN Political Chief Jeffrey Feltman on terrorism throughout the Middle East, including Yemen.
"We will try to deliver some ideas about how this could be addressed," he added.
In the case of Syria and Iraq, he said, "the ability to sell oil is extremely troubling, because it adds to their coffers, and clearly feeds to their ability to engage in terrorist activities."
He recalled that the Council adopted recently a resolution about the illegal export of oil from Libya, adding that "at this point we are not prepared to propose a draft resolution (on Iraq), but certainly, this is a problem to which we need to draw the attention of the Security Council to, because it is directly contrary to a number of Council resolutions about financing terrorism."
He said he asked for Feltman to brief the Council now because the terrorist threat has become "even much more visible than it was before. If we keep thinking within narrow boundaries of states without having a broader regional look at the situation, then we will not be able to provide proper responses."
Moreover, he added, "it becomes particularly bizarre when you have some countries condemning some terrorist organisations in Iraq, but looking the other way when the same terrorist organisations are operating in Syria. Everybody knows they are connected and conduct the same terrorist operations. So we need to (face) this reality and work accordingly."
On the removal of the remaining 7.2 per cent of chemical weapons material from Syria earlier today, Churkin expressed satisfaction, and said he will, as Council current President, try to issue a press statement on the issue, expressing concern at the same time that terrorist groups could get hold of some and use it for hostile purposes.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "very pleased" by the completion of this phase of the operation, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric told the daily press briefing, adding that "at the same time, he (Ban) believes that the challenges of the work the Mission had been doing in an active combat zone cannot be underestimated."
Churkin also said Russia tried to issue some "elements" to the press regarding the situation in the West Bank following the abduction of the three Israeli youths, but "unfortunately, Council members could not find a common ground on a very simple 3-paragraph draft text, accusing the "usual suspects," in an indirect reference to Council western members.
He said the draft mentioned that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the abduction, that he offered cooperation, and asks the parties to avoid further trouble. (end)
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