6 Jul 2012

HRC / SYRIA VOTE

The United Nations Human Rights Council condemned “the widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights, acts of violence, ongoing atrocities and indiscriminate targeting of civilians by the Syrian authorities.” (CH UNTV)

Posted at: July 6, 2012 1:27 pm

Duration: 02:56

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: HRC Syria Vote
TRT:  2:56SOURCE: CH UNTV 
ORIGIN CITY: GENEVA
COUNTRY: SWITZERLAND
SOUND: NATURAL
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH and RUSSIAN

DATELINE:   6 July 2012, Geneva

SHOTLIST:

Cut away:  Exterior United Nations Palais, Geneva

1. SOUNDBITE (English): Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, United States of America:
This Council must speak out clearly and forcefully on the gross human rights violations and atrocities being carried out by the Assad government.  The Assad regime is waging a brutal campaign of violence against the Syrian people, characterized by aerial bombardment, mass killings, summary executions, torture, including rape, and other atrocities.  We demand an end to these outrageous crimes against the people of Syria.

Cutaway:  MS Syrian delegation

2.  SOUNDBITE (English): Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, United States of America: 
As long as Assad continues to attack the Syrian people, the international community must keep ratcheting up the pressure on the regime to halt the violence and do more to allow access for humanitarian assistance to civilians in need.

Cutaway: CU Delegation of the Federation of Russia

3.  SOUNDBITE (English): Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, United States of America:
Our message to the Syrian security forces is clear:  "Don't let Assad abuse your national loyalty." Your mission as the armed forces of Syria is to protect the Syrian people, not to prolong Assad's hold on power.  The way to meet your responsibility is to end the repression and help set up a broad based interim administration that will lead Syria to a democratic future."

Cutaway:  MS Delegation of France

4. SOUNDBITE:  (Russian)   Vassiliy Nebenzia, Russian Federation:
ENGL TRANSLATION It seems that some countries are not happy with the balanced final document of the Geneva meeting and are now trying to make up for it by adopting yet another one-sided Human Rights Council resolution. The draft represents an attempt for an implicit revisions of the final communiqué of the Geneva conference.  Unfortunately the adoption of this resolution will create obstacles for the political process in Syria.  And we have seen progress on that track.  Damascus has welcomed the Geneva document.

Cutaway:  WS zoom into votes on board
CU   Board - Russian Federation NO vote
CU   Board - results of vote
Cutaway:   WS room

5.  SOUNDBITE:  President of the Human Rights Council (Spanish):
ENGL TRANSLATION The result of the vote for the resolution is 41 in favour, 3 against and 3 abstentions.  So the resolution has been approved.

Cutaway   MS delegates 
Cutaway:  WS group of delegates
Cutaway:  MS woman delegate
Cutaway:  WS podium
Cutaway:  MS South Africa delegate
Cutaway:  MS woman

STORYLINE
The United Nations Human Rights Council condemned "the widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights, acts of violence, ongoing atrocities and indiscriminate targeting of civilians by the Syrian authorities."    The resolution passed by 41 votes for, 3 against and 3 abstentions.

Attempts by Russia to introduce an amendment to the resolution adding the condemnation of all acts of terrorism, was defeated. The Russian amendment received support from Cuba and China.

The resolution condemning Syria was presented jointly by the ambassadors of Turkey and the United States, and was supported by 55 other governments, acting as co-sponsors.   "The Assad regime is waging a brutal campaign of violence against the Syrian people," said the US Ambassador, "characterized by aerial bombardment, mass killings, summary executions, torture, including rape, and other atrocities."  She called for accountability for these violations against the Syrian people.

Speaking from the floor to a packed Council, Ambassador Donahoe of the United States gave a message to members of the Syrian armed forces, calling for them to fulfill their responsibility to end the repression, and not allow President Assad to "abuse your national loyalty".

Ms Donahoe said that the actions of the Syrian government were contrary to the principles and values of the Human Rights Council, adding that "no state that engages in such actions should serve on this Council".

The resolution called for unfettered access for the members of the Commission of Inquiry, established by the Human Rights Council at a previous session, and looked forward to the results of this Inquiry at the next Council session in September

Speaking on behalf of the Russian Federation, Vassiliy Nebenzia said that this resolution condemning only the Syrian government not the opposition forces, undermined the agreement reached by the high-level Action Group for Syria on 30 June, and said that the adoption of the resolution would "create obstacles for the political process in Syria."  He said that the Action Group communiqué had been welcomed in Damascus but that this resolution, which he called "one-sided", represented implicit revisions.

This, the 20th session of the Council, ends in Geneva today.

Filed under SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC .