General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBreaking: U.S., Russia agree on Syria U.N. chemical arms measure
U.S., Russia agree on Syria U.N. chemical arms measure
Kerry and Lavrov reach deal on Syria
7:05pm EDT
By John Irish and Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS | Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:46pm EDT
(Reuters) - Ending weeks of diplomatic deadlock, the United States and Russia reached an agreement on Thursday on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at ridding Syria of its chemical weapons arsenal.
Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said a deal was struck with Russia "legally obligating" Syria to give up its chemical stockpile and the measure would go to the full Security Council on Thursday night. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said an "understanding" had been hammered out.
The United States had been negotiating on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly with Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's chief ally. The aim was to craft a measure to demand the destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal in line with a U.S.-Russian deal reached earlier this month that averted American military strikes on Syria in the midst of Syria's civil war.
Western powers on the Security Council backed away from many of their initial demands, diplomats say, in order to secure Russia's approval.
more...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/26/us-un-assembly-syria-resolution-idUSBRE98P1AJ20130926
darkangel218
(13,985 posts)Get rid of the WMDs and avoid a war both at the same time!
Congrats POTUS, Kerry and Putin!
leveymg
(36,418 posts)The only reference to enforcement in the draft is a threat that if Syria fails to comply with the resolution, the council would impose punitive measures under Chapter 7, which would require a second resolution that Russia could veto.
babylonsister
(171,079 posts)karynnj
(59,504 posts)It never made sense to me that the US thought they could change that.
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)I'm not sure why it's claiming that the US wanted the resolution to state it was under Chapter 7, yes, the US floated it, no doubt (it gives the US more options) but it was never a requirement.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)probably one of the best picks obama has made so far.
karynnj
(59,504 posts)Powers has supported a strike on Syria for over a year for other things they did. Powers may be an outstanding pick, but if there is anyone on the US side that deserves credit here it is Kerry.
As the Guardian says:
"The development was announced after hastily convened talks between the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. If the resolution is adopted, it would be the first legally binding resolution on the Syrian conflict. "
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/26/syria-chemical-weapons-un-resolution
The AP says :
"But the draft resolution, seen by The Associated Press, makes clear that there is no trigger for enforcement measures if Syria fails to comply. Instead, it states that the Security Council will "impose measures under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter," which will require a second resolution.
Chapter 7 allows for military and nonmilitary actions to promote peace and security. Russia, Syria's most powerful ally, had opposed any reference to it. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held hastily scheduled talks Thursday afternoon to resolve several last-minute disputes on the text."
Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/key-powers-agree-on-resolution-aimed-at-eliminating-syria-s-chemical-weapons-1.1472043#ixzz2g3YHPqDs
Earlier this week, there were comments that Powers wanted the resolution to be chapter 7 and to include references to the ICC - neither are there.
BKH70041
(961 posts)darkangel218
(13,985 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,402 posts)darkangel218
(13,985 posts)Yikes
BKH70041
(961 posts)It's a comedy and a tragedy all wrapped in a pretty bow.
darkangel218
(13,985 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,402 posts)To be truthful these plays never end, they're always being rewritten and the cast continously changes, but when you have a good or promising act, it should be applauded.
That helps to encourage the actors and writers to come up with more good acts and plays.
If everybody frowned and shot birds at the artists, publicly urinating on a promising screenplays because they had seen bad ones before, that would only serve to estrange and hurt the confidence of the actors and writers making it less likely that good things can come in the future until a whole new set of artists come along, possibly stretching it out for years or decades.
YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...true.
BKH70041
(961 posts)For the record, I'm very happy the USA isn't involved militarily. The drawing of red lines should have never been made and I'm confident that won't happen again for the next 3+ years. Condemning chemical weapons is always a must. Securing those weapons in Syria would be preferable.
I'd like to be pleasantly surprised. But I'm not going to pretend I don't know the actors, their tendencies given past performances, and how these things typically go.
Uncle Joe
(58,402 posts)are all the same?
BKH70041
(961 posts)Who benefits by delaying?
Who benefits by dodging?
Who benefits by making excuses?
I'll just watch it play out.
Have a good night, Joe.
Uncle Joe
(58,402 posts)Assad doesn't, he wants the Al Qaeda and Islamic Fundamentalist dominated rebels; disarmed of their chemical weapons as well.
Russia; doesn't the longer this festers the more likely those extremist rebel factions will be able to transfer said chemical weapons to threaten them, in places like Chechnya.
The U.S. doesn't for pretty much the same reason as Russia with the primary difference being these weapons could threaten its' own allies.
The one fly in the ointment is the extremist rebels hiding or moving their chemical weapons out of Syria.
That's why border control is extemely important and that's why Al Qaeda has all but wiped out the so called "moderate" rebels at border towns with Iraq and Turkey.
You have a good night as well, BKH.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)darkangel218
(13,985 posts)X
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Cha
(297,511 posts)thank you, babylonsistah!
Zorra
(27,670 posts)BootinUp
(47,179 posts)I hope it continues.