Brussels, 05/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 2 December, the UN Council for Human Rights adopted by a large majority (37 votes in favour, six abstentions, with four votes against, including Russia and China) a resolution condemning human rights violations in Syria and calling for the despatching of an international body to the country. The EU high representative for foreign affairs underlined that “the measures adopted today are crucial to ensure the protection of human rights in Syria. As long as the repression goes on, we shall continue to press for strong UN action to ensure the safety and protection of the Syrian people”. This EU initiative, supported by Arab states and countries across the world, “demonstrates that we do not accept Syria's persistent failure to comply with its international obligations”, explained Catherine Ashton. She added that the resolution “sends a strong message to the Syrian government to stop the brutality against its own people. It is a clear signal to the Syrian people that the international community supports them”.
The resolution calls for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to be present in Syria and for the Commission of Inquiry have access to the country.
On Saturday 3 December, the Syrian foreign affairs minister described the resolution as “unfair” saying that is was “prepared in advance by parties that are hostile to Syria”. He also explained that the Commission of Inquiry's report denouncing crimes against humanity “is politically motivated and based on defamatory information”. According to the UN, repression carried out by the Syrian regime since March has led to the deaths of more than 4,000, including 300 children. (CG/transl.fl)