Russia will veto UN resolution on ICC for Syria

22 May 2014 13:19 | 668

Ireland is to formally request the UN Security Council to refer the conflict in Syria to the International Criminal Court. The French proposal is supported by all 28 member states of the European Union and a number of other UN member states. The resolution would allow the ICC to investigate possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. SIA reports.

It will be voted on at the UN later this morning.

Russia's UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin, has said his country will veto the resolution, calling it a 'publicity stunt'.

It would be the fourth time Moscow has used its veto to block Western resolutions since the start of the conflict, three and a half years ago.

Moscow is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's closest ally, and has provided him with diplomatic cover throughout the crisis.

Western diplomats said it was uncertain which way China would vote today, but several predicted it too would veto the resolution. Since Syria is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court, it has fallen to the UN Security Council to decide whether to refer war crimes or crimes against humanity on its territory to the court.

Faced with mounting atrocities in Syria, Western powers and some of their allies are pressing for the resolution to dissuade the warring sides from engaging in new abuses. The draft resolution denounces atrocities by government forces, by pro-government militias and by rebels fighting the regime.

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