Russia Slams UN Hariri Report for Meddling in Syria’s Internal Affairs

[occuserpens]

Russia Slams UN Hariri Report for Meddling in Syria’s Internal Affairs
Russia is opposed to attempts to transform the U.N. Security Council into an authority investigating the problems of Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.
"The co-authors of the draft resolution on Syria are not simply trying to support the commission but to intrude into the terms of its reference. However, the U.N. Security Council is not an investigative authority," he told the New York press on Sunday.
"It would be wrong to mix criminal investigative mechanisms with relations between countries," Lavrov said. He said that in the draft resolution submitted for discussion on Monday the United States, Britain and France are making such an attempt.

[Mojorabbit]

1. Despite Warnings, U.S. Leans on Syria

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has embarked on an effort to build strong international pressure on Syria despite warnings from some Arab leaders and Israelis that doing so could lead to a chaotic collapse or even the rise of a fundamentalist Islamic regime in Damascus, U.S. officials say.

American diplomats have been trying to enlist other nations to pressure Syrian President Bashar Assad as the United Nations weighs how to respond to an investigator's report implicating top Syrian officials in the February assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

snip
But some Arab leaders and other allies say the Syrian government is already fragile and isolated. They have warned that international sanctions or other measures could topple the regime, destabilizing an important corner of the Middle East and possibly opening the way for Islamist groups such as the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-ussyria31oct31,0,7741706.story?coll=ny-leadworldnews-headlines

[occuserpens]

2. This turns the UN into global cop

Which is dangerous:
(1) UN acts as a cop (rather than negotiator or social worker) in certain region.
(2) Local factions throw it away.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Link? (n/t)

[occuserpens]

4. Russia may veto UN resolution on Syria - source

http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11414399

[occuserpens]

5. What Israelis want from Assad

is pound of flesh and not a gram less

Ynet. Roee Nahmias. Assad still doesn’t get it http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3162314,00.html

"The Syria regime is in trouble, but it appears that despite everything Assad has not yet grasped the rules of the game," Tel Aviv University professor Eyal Zisser says. "I don’t see a situation where he would give in to dictates and turn in his brother, Maher, and his brother-in-law, (Head of Military Intelligence) Asef Shawkat to face an international inquiry."

"The (Security Council) resolution was softened, but on the other hand the United States accepted the decision, which means the Americans got what they wanted," Zisser says. "The resolution doesn’t impose sanctions, but it lays the groundwork for a very severe resolution against Syria in the future."