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Russia defies Syrian peace 'diplomatic manoevre'
Russia
says it will block a French plan to halt the bloodshed in the
embattled Syrian city of Aleppo.
8
October, 2016
Russia earlier said it was ready to support a new UN plan to end violence in Aleppo, but its UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said he believed the plan was just a diplomatic manoeuvre to put Russia in a position where it would be forced to veto a ceasefire.
"It
is unprecedented for the members of the council to ask a permanent
member of the security council to limit its own activities," he
said.
"You
know, there are certain things we may do or not do - we may fly or
not fly - but definitely they cannot expect we will get there through
a demand by the security council."
The
proposal called for an immediate truce and an end to flights over the
city by Russian and Syrian government warplanes.
The
United Nations security council was expected to vote on the plan
later today.
UN
envoy Staffan de Mistura appealed to fighters from the former Nusra
Front faction to withdraw from the city but the jihadi faction
rejected the offer.
US
Secretary of State John Kerry said Russia's actions in support of the
Syrian government demanded a war crimes investigation.
Mr
Kerry accused Moscow and the government in Damascus of having a
targeted strategy to terrorise civilians in the city of Aleppo and
kill anyone who stands in the way of their military objectives.
He
said Russia owed the world an explanation about why facilities
housing women and children kept being hit.
"These
are acts that beg of an appropriate investigation of war crimes, and
those who commit these would and should be held accountable for these
actions.
"They're
beyond the accidental, now."
Russia
described Mr Kerry's accusations as unacceptable and outrageous.
Meanwhile,
Russia's lower house of parliament has approved an agreement that
will allow the Russian military to stay in Syria indefinitely.
The
air force base at Hemeimeem was set up as a temporary facility a year
ago at the start of Russia's campaign in support of President Assad's
government.
US officially accuses Russia of hacking DNC and interfering with election
Administration
says ‘only Russia’s senior-most officials’ could have signed
off on cyber-attacks and urges states to seek federal security aid
for voting systems
US
secretary of state calls for restoration of ceasefire and denounces
bombings of civilian targets, ‘They are beyond the accidental now’
New Zealand's representative to the UN was interviewed by Kim Hill on Radio NZ this morning.
New Zealand's representative to the UN was interviewed by Kim Hill on Radio NZ this morning.
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