Source: The Hindu
Amid high drama at the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC), Russia and China have spiritedly opposed a European-Arab draft
that seeks to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as the first step
towards the establishment of democracy in the troubled Arab nation.
Citing
the principle of sovereignty and advocating a peaceful internal
dialogue, Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin said during an
animated debate on Tuesday that there were alternative ways to end the
bloodshed in Syria other than by the eviction of Mr. Assad by foreign
powers through the U.N. route.
Questioning the
legality of the proposed resolution, Mr. Churkin said the UNSC did not
have the mandate to interfere in the domestic affairs of a sovereign
state. “The Council cannot prescribe ready recipes for the outcome of
domestic political processes. It is not in the [U.N.] Charter”. Mr.
Churkin warned that the U.N.'s intrusion into the internal affairs of a
country would set a dangerous precedent. “Then you will start telling
what king needs to resign and what Prime Minister needs to step down.
This is not the business of the Security Council.”
Observers
say the Russians are apprehensive that if validated, the principle of
U.N. interventionism in internal conflicts can be used to target them if
the domestic situation in Russia deteriorates for some reason.
