UN panel condemns Syria for crackdown
15:08 - 23 November 2011
The UN General Assembly\'s human rights committee condemned Syria for its eight-month crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in a vote backed by Western nations and a number of Arab states.
The resolution, drafted by Britain, France and Germany, received 122 votes in favour, 13 against and 41 abstentions.
Arab states that voted for it included co-sponsors Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as Egypt.
Russia and China, which vetoed a European-drafted resolution that would have condemned Syria in the UN Security Council last month, voted against it.
Bashar Ja\'afari, Syrian UN ambassador, said the resolution had no meaning for Damascus and portrayed it as a US-inspired political move.
\"Despite the fact that the draft resolution was basically presented by three European states, however it is no secret that the United States of America is ... the main mind behind the political campaign against my country,\" he said.
The resolution, drafted by Britain, France and Germany, received 122 votes in favour, 13 against and 41 abstentions.
Arab states that voted for it included co-sponsors Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as Egypt.
Russia and China, which vetoed a European-drafted resolution that would have condemned Syria in the UN Security Council last month, voted against it.
Bashar Ja\'afari, Syrian UN ambassador, said the resolution had no meaning for Damascus and portrayed it as a US-inspired political move.
\"Despite the fact that the draft resolution was basically presented by three European states, however it is no secret that the United States of America is ... the main mind behind the political campaign against my country,\" he said.
