UN inaction fuels military conflict – Russia

The UN Security Council is holding another meeting to discuss the escalation of fighting in South Ossetia, this time at Georgia’s request. The previous closed-door emergency session called by Russia failed to reach a dec

The Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin says the lack of a swift response to the violence led to its escalation.

“I am compelled to state that Georgia continues its treacherous attack on South Ossetia. This is happening despite the appeal of the Russian leadership for an immediate ceasefire and an end to this fratricidal conflict and resumption of the negotiating process.

This scenario has become possible as a result of the connivance by a number of Security Council members who blocked last night’s assessment of the tragedy on the basis of the documents submitted last night by Russia.

The aggression was perpetrated in violation of the fundamental principles of the United Charter on non use of force”.

And speaking at the UN security council, the Georgian Ambassador Irakli Alasania accused Russia of supporting a regime which encouraged ethnic cleansing:

“It was apalling to hear from the Russian Federation representative talking about the ethnic cleansing supposedly perpetrated by the Georgian armed forces. I want to remind the Council and Ambassador Churkin that it is the Russian Federation who really was supporting and is supporting militarily the regime in Tskhinvali and Sukhumi who are the perpetrators of the ethnic cleansing which is confirmed by the numerous OSCE declarations and UN documents”.

UN rejects Russia-drafted resolution

Earlier the Security Council rejected a Russia-drafted resolution calling on Georgia and South Ossetia to immediately put down their weapons. The US, Britain and some other members backed the Georgians in rejecting a phrase in the three-sentence statement that would have required both sides “to renounce the use of force.” But now there seems to be a slight shift of attitudes of some sides that were reluctant to the resolution.

“This meeting has indicated that the international community and most of the Security Council members are not prepared to put up with the military means in settling those long-standing disputes,” Russian ambassador to UN Vitaly Churkin said about the UN meeting held earlier on Friday.

Speaking after the meeting, Vitaly Churkin said the Georgian leadership had lost the international community's trust as a result of its military operation.
  
“All of Tbilisi's actions have fully undermined the credit of trust vested in the Georgian leadership as a committed party in the negotiations and in international dealings that meet the UN principles and charter,” he said.

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