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UNITED NATIONS, Dec 16 (KUNA) -- A Security Council diplomat late Friday
said Russia has called for expert level negotiations of its draft resolution
on Syria for Monday morning.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin on Thursday circulated in the Security
Council a draft resolution "strongly condemning" in its preambular part
"continuing violence coming from all parties, including disproportionate use
of force by Syrian authorities," and expressing "grave concern" over the
potential for a further deterioration of the situation.
Also in its preambular part, the draft "recalls the Syrian authorities
responsibility to comply with their obligatins under applicable international
law and to bring to account all those responsible for violence, and urged
Damascus to initiate "prompt, independent and impartial investigations into
all cases of human rights violations."
In its operative part, the Russian draft "demands" that all parties in
Syria immediately stop any violence irrespective of where it comes from, and
urged Damascus to put an end to suppression of those exercising their rights
to freedom of expression, and complete without delay investigations carried
out by the Syrian judicial committee into all events in which civilians and
security personnel were killed or injured.
It also urged all groups of Syrian oppositsion to dissociate themselves
from extremists, accept the Arab League initiative and to engage without
preconditions in political dialogue with the Syrian authorities with a view to
holding a substantial and in-depth discussion on the ways of reforming the
Syrian society.
It calls for an "inclusive Syrian-led political process" to be conducted in
an environment free from violence and lead to the full implementation of the
reforms that will effectively address the legitimate aspirations and concerns
of the Syrian people.
It also encourages the Arab League to continue efforts in cooperation with
all Syrian stakeholders aimed at putting an end to violence, promoting
political dialogue, including through deployment of the League's mission of
observers to Syria, with the aim of assessing the situation on the ground.
It further calls on Damascus to expedite the implementation of the
announced reforms, in particular drafting and adopting a new constitution, in
order to effectively address the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the
Syrian people.
It stressed that "nothing in this resolution shall be interpreted as an
authorization of any sort of military interference in Syria by anyone, and
decides to consider the situation again 30 days after the adoption of the
present draft resolution."
The Russian draft came at a time 27 Syrian soldiers were killed by "Free
Syria Army" which defected from the Syrian Army.
Council western members welcomed the Russian move which is overdue, but
said the Russian draft is weak as it does not reflect the gravity of the
situation on the ground. (end)
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KUNA 170049 Dec 11NNNN