New York, Apr 13 (Just News): Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, delivered remarks this morning at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, called by Russia, to discuss possible responses to Syria’s chemical weapons use.
“Today’s session of the Security Council has been called under truly strange circumstances. The Russian Federation has asked us to discuss what it calls ‘unilateral threats’ related to Syria. What is strange is that Russia is ignoring the real threat to international peace and security that has brought us here. And it is ignoring its own unilateral responsibility for it.”
“Who is it on the Council that most exhibits unilateralism when it comes to chemical weapons? It is Russia alone that has stopped at nothing to defend the Syrian regime’s multiple uses of chemical weapons. It is Russia alone that killed the Joint Investigative Mechanism which allowed the world to ensure accountability for chemical weapons use in Syria. It is Russia alone that used its veto six times to prevent the condemnation of Assad’s use of chemical weapons. It is Russia alone that used its veto 12 times to protect the Assad regime.”
“That is the Russian record of unilateralism. It is a record that has led to the trashing of all international standards against the use of chemical weapons. This meeting should not be about the so called ‘unilateral threats,’ it should be about the multiple actions Russia has taken to bring us to this point.”
“Our President has not yet made a decision about possible actions in Syria. But should the United States and our allies decide to act in Syria, it will be in defense of a principle on which we all agree. It will be in defense of a bedrock international norm that benefits all nations…The United States and our allies will continue to stand up for truth, accountability, justice, and an end to the use of chemical weapons.”
(Justnews/ys/0005hr)
