EU powers ask U.N. Security Council to condemn Syria

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EU powers ask U.N. Security Council to condemn Syria

By Louis Charbonneau Louis Charbonneau – Wed May 25, 7:35 pm ET

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – European nations moved on Wednesday to have the U.N.

Security Council pass a resolution condemning Syria for its bloody crackdown

against pro-democracy protesters, diplomats said.

Britain, France, Germany and Portugal circulated a draft resolution to the

15-nation council despite the risk of a veto by Russia.

The draft, obtained by Reuters, " condemns the systematic violation of human

rights, including the killings, arbitrary detentions, disappearances, and

torture of peaceful demonstrators, human rights defenders and journalists by the

Syrian authorities. "

The text, which says Syrian actions may amount to crimes against humanity, also

demands that Damascus comply with a U.N. Human Rights Council inquiry and launch

its own " credible and impartial investigation " into the violence against

protesters.

Unlike resolutions passed this year on Libya, the draft does not provide for

U.N. sanctions or military intervention against Syria. But it urges states not

to supply arms to Damascus.

The text reached council members a day after a Syrian human rights group said

security forces had killed at least 1,100 civilians in their two-month campaign

to crush anti-government demonstrations.

" The situation warrants action by the Security Council, " said Portugal's U.N.

Ambassador Filipe Moraes Cabral.

But he cautioned it would not be easy to get a resolution on Syria through the

council in the face of a potential Russian veto. " I don't want to underestimate

the complex issues involved in approving such resolution, " he told reporters.

U.N. diplomats said a vote on the resolution was unlikely before next week.

PREVENTING A VETO

If the Security Council remains silent it " would only embolden the Syrian

leaders in the war they are waging on their own people, " said Philippe Bolopion

of Human Rights Watch. " A strong message from the council is long overdue, and

countries opposing it would have a lot of explaining to do. "

A previous attempt to push the council into condemning the actions of Syrian

President Bashar al-Assad's security forces failed after Russia, India and China

made clear they would oppose it.

The Europeans first pushed for a statement, but envoys said a resolution would

be easier to get through a divided council.

Statements require unanimous approval, while resolutions need only nine yes

votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members -- the United States,

Britain, France, Russia and China. Resolutions, unlike statements, are legally

binding.

Cabral said he was confident of getting nine votes for the resolution, but

avoiding a veto could be more challenging.

The U.S. delegation has been less than enthusiastic about the European push for

a resolution to condemn Syria due to concerns it could be vetoed by Russia, U.N.

diplomats said.

U.S. officials have made clear they would rather have no council action than a

vetoed resolution, envoys said. Washington fears such an outcome would send a

signal to Assad that the international community is divided on the issue, which

he could interpret as a green light to escalate his crackdown.

Last week, President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would not support a council

resolution on Syria -- a longtime ally of Moscow -- if it were similar to a

March 17 resolution authorizing military intervention in Libya.

(Editing by )