(With POL-UNSC-IRAQ-ISIL) NEW YORK, Aug 15 (KUNA) -- Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari late Friday welcomed the UN Security Council resolution 2170, which condemned ISIL and Al Nusrah Front (ANF) for their terrorist acts in Iraq and Syria.
However, Ja'afari complained that British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, who initiated the resolution, did not consult with Baghdad and Damascus, and described his behavior as "shameful." Ja'afari also complained that this resolution should have been adopted over three years ago when his government consistently tried to attract the international community's attention to the scourge in his country and "while Arab countries in the region continued to fund those groups." He argued that had the Council taken the terrorist threats seriously when Syria complained about them at that time, "we would not have needed resolution 2170 today." Ja'afari complained that Grant, who is also the Council's current President, did not consult with him and with his Iraqi colleague while putting resolution 2170 together, and urged the Council to promote dialogue with the countries concerned.
He also complained that Grant did not give him and his Iraqi colleague enough time to finish reading their statements in the Council.
He argued that Western countries became interested in ISIL and other terrorist groups and made sure resolution 2170 is adopted only after their own nationals returned home and became a threat to their security.
He expressed satisfaction that western countries have now realized that "we were right from the beginning." However, he added, his Government looks forward for the "serious implementation" of resolution 2170's provisions in order not to get the fate of other Council relevant resolutions which remained ink on paper. Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed Ali Al-Hakim also welcomed resolution 2170, describing it as a "good indication of the serious commitment by member states" to combat terrorism.
Grant admitted to reporters that there won't be an "immediate" change after the adoption of resolution 2170, but at least it is a "first step." He told the Council that by adopting resolution 2170, it sent a "clear political message" to ISIL, ANF and other Al-Qaida-inspired terrorists and has taken "important practical steps to combat the threat they pose." "Today this Council has shown that it will not stand idle in the face of terrorism and violations of human rights. This resolution is not the final word. The framework it provides will need to be developed and refined. "But the Council's unity on this text provides a strong basis for doing that. We must be resolved, active and creative in considering what further measures should be taken to tackle this terrorist scourge, he said.
US Ambassador Samantha Power told the Council that today's resolution represents the Council's "strong, unified position that all member states must disrupt the terrorist financing and foreign fighter recruitment networks that are fueling the violence perpetrated by the terrorist groups.
"Unchecked, the current terrorist financing and the foreign fighter recruitment networks will only prolong the terror we've seen unleashed in the region," she added. (end) sj.gb