The Russian Foreign Ministry has responded to the recent media allegations circulating over the US-sponsored UNSC “draft resolution over the mandate of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism into the use of chemical weapons in Syria.”
Statement by the Foreign Ministry on the UN Security Council vote on the resolution to extend the JIM’s mandate (source):
On October 24, 2017, the UN Security Council voted on the US-sponsored draft resolution calling for a hasty extension of the mandate of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) into the use of chemical weapons in Syria even before the release of a report on its activities this year.
Russia voted against it for reasons that we have explained repeatedly in public statements and in working contacts with other UN Security Council members. The main reason is that it makes no sense to adopt such important decisions without even assessing the JIM’s performance. Without such an assessment, it is impossible to determine whether its mandate should be extended as is, or if it must be upgraded and adjusted in line with Security Council’s previous Resolution 2319.
The Americans chose to proceed with a premature vote on the draft against basic logic and the long-established procedures of the Security Council. They were obviously guided by their own considerations that are far removed from the purpose of establishing the JIM. It has already become their trademark to rush headlong, crudely and brazenly imposing their position on others without bothering to make any sensible arguments. We see this clearly in how allegations of Russian interference in US domestic affairs are being imposed on US society. The same methods are used in the international arena. Damascus is groundlessly accused of crimes and Moscow is charged with allegedly providing cover. They lie without shame. They have seized the JIM, OPCW and the Security Council by the throat, and their intransigence is not tempered by international law, diplomatic rules or even common sense.
This course of action is causing direct damage to the foundations of multilateral diplomacy, eviscerating the work of international bodies, including the JIM, and reshaping it to suit American interests.
Our position is abundantly clear and consistent: those responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be identified and duly punished. We were part of the founding of the JIM from the start, and we hoped its activities would throw light on chemical crimes committed in Syria. In 2016 we agreed twice to extend the mechanism, spread its scope to territories adjacent to Syria, and give its mandate an anti-terrorist focus. Now we have the right to ask what has been done to carry out these decisions. How has the quality of the investigation been? To what extent does this work correspond to the high standards of the Chemical Weapons Convention? Is there a need to make adjustments to make the JIM more effective? Instead we are asked to extend its mandate sight unseen. Apparently, they are afraid that a thoughtful analysis will lead to conclusions that Washington will not like.
Russia has always supported the systematic and deliberate work of the JIM. It is expected to produce a report on its performance in the near future. We will study it thoroughly and suggest how to proceed.
A very calculated response. I like how the Russians make their every move and it’s heartwarming to see that they decided enough is enough. One can learn greatly by studying their methods.
A great example of Russian diplomacy and strategy is the situation we know as “the Cuban missile crisis”, which the US pretends to be the winner of, but in fact it was a glaring victory for USSR (I’d elaborate if anyone is interested). I hope the outcome of this one to be like that of 1962.
Please elaborate.
In short, the Soviet Union faced 2 threatening situations, both lethal. One to an ally, Cuba, which after the failed invasion and the mess of the Bay of Pigs, the US proved it is determined to annihilate the Soviet’s ally, Castro by any means. The second situation was far worse for the Soviet Union’s existence because in an aggressive move, the US installed some nuclear-tipped Jupiter missiles in Turkey in addition the the ones they have installed in Italy. Considering the American mentality of “preemptive strike” you can imagine what kind of danger those missiles were to the Soviets. Of course the Soviets had an early warning system which informed them of any missile launch, but contrary to common belief, the danger of short and especially medium range nuclear ballistic missiles are far more than the scary ICBMs because your early warning system is useless against them. There’s simply not enough time for you to do anything and you certainly have not enough time to retaliate. That was exactly the reason for the US to install them in the first place. Soviets protested but the it fell on deaf ears. They also protested against the US aggression against Cuba, again to no avail. It seemed that the US managed to contain the USSR and all is lost for them, until the Soviets started their brilliant plan:
They sent some medium range missiles of their own to Cuba, and made sure to put them in plane view of the American spy planes. It’s amazing that the American didn’t suspect of this kind of installation, because if the Soviets’ intention was to use the missiles, they wouldn’t put them in clear-cut areas in a jungle without any kind of camouflage and the Soviets were masters of Maskirovka.
Anyway, the Americans discovered the missiles and naturally panicked. After all, nobody has the right to threaten the Americans, it’s a right exclusively god-given to them alone. Soviets started to install a few launchers and made sure that the Americans find out more missiles are on the way. Considering the American mentality, the Soviets gambled because it could easily result in a nuclear war. The only thing that prevented the Americans from attacking Cuba was that they couldn’t be sure if they discovered all the launchers. What if the Soviets installed some launchers properly, you know, the way they should? All the American mainland were in the range of those missiles, except maybe for the Washington state.
The next phase of the Soviet plan were denial. They denied the whole thing fully knowing that the Americans discovered the missile launchers and this too, panicked the Americans even more. There was a UNSC session where America told the world about this new Soviet “aggression” and started the embargo of Cuba.
The next phase was the introduction of a new back-channel. Soviets “burned” one of their assets in the US for that. Someone with a connection to the Soviet Union’s then premier, N. Khrushchev, but not a very clear connection, just enough to convince the Americans. This way they managed to broker a deal directly with the American president, J. Kennedy.
The deal is also amusing. The Soviets managed to solve both problems with one move. Americans guaranteed that they won’t attack Cuba or won’t try a regime change in any form or shape, and agreed to remove their Jupiter missiles from both Turkey and Italy in exchange for the removal of the Soviet missiles from Cuba.
Another aspect of the American arrogance was they way they removed their missiles. Their condition was that this part of the deal remain secret or the deal was null. They asked for a 6 month delay to do that so they can deny any connection to this “crisis”. They wanted to be seen as strong by the world. The most important matter for the Soviets was the removal of missiles and safety of Cuba which they achieved and thus let the Americans to save the face. The American missiles were removed with this excuse that they’re old and they need to be replaced which never happened.
To this day, in the west, the Cuban missile crisis is considered as a great victory for the US and defeat of the Soviet Union, but the truth, as always, is something entirely else and that, my friend, is the difference between a planner and a loudmouth. Just like these days.
Many thanks.
No problem. Tudor, Disqus tells me that it detected my long post as spam. I see it but I don’t know it’s still visible to others or not. Would you please let me know?
It happens to some of my posts, I have no idea how to avoid it, is it caused by my contents or it is reported as spam. Every time I try to insert a link from SouthFront, it deletes my post. I’d like to know if anybody else faces the same problem.
thats your luck. otherwise i would negate your written materiel.
i suggest, fund the university of alternative history :))))
off: wiil you also hunt nanook? (polar bear)
That’s why I love you so much, you hate everybody. You don’t need to read any material to negate it, so do your thing please.
What are those? :)))) . Are they all mouths or chins or double chins? I can imagine you having 4 eyes, it becomes with your bald head, but 4 mouths?
Never thought about that, but I will definitely hunt any nanook who dares to eat my beloved Solomon.
i dont hate you. i am laughing on you :DDD i dont hate anybody here. but i despise some of you. like pzivj, who propagates nazi weapon, another guy who´s god is hitler, some antisemites. but you and tudor are symply fools and i am laughing on you. and of course there are more the dozen guys, who i like. and dozens, who are neutral. so, again you had wrong conclusions :DDDD
good. nanook is my totem animal ;) dont dare to hunt them :)) and especially, dont eat any ffood made from its liver.
Doesn’t matter, I still love you, but try to laugh with us. If you can’t, at least try to laugh at us, but certainly not on us. Much obliged.
Although this big animal frightens me, I’ll kick it’s behind if it ever tries something like this:
http://i66.tinypic.com/2mow2tu.jpg
you are right, at you, not on you :)
sad news. short time ago has fallen russian chopper in the sea with 8 people on board near spitzbergs. :(
and do you know, why should you not eat nanook liver?
Spitzbergen, Norway? Yes, sad news. I have no idea, I’m not really interested in eating polar bears.
so high concentration of vitamine A, that 100 percently die, who eats.
Solomon – you can read the comment by clicking on it. Negate it if you can.
Your post is “awaiting moderation” – that’s what I see. It happens from time to time on SF – posts get lost. May be splitting the long post in 3 or 4 parts would help but I don’t know for sure.
Thank you.
Well done.
“THEY LIE WITHOUT SHAME. They have seized the JIM, OPCW and the Security Council by the throat, and their intransigence is not tempered by international law, diplomatic rules or even common sense.
This course of action is causing direct damage to the foundations of multilateral diplomacy, eviscerating the work of international bodies, including the JIM, and reshaping it to suit American interests.”
Preach!
Which other nations, besides the EU, sponsored the OPCW Special Missions and the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism. 12 nations out of 193 in the United Nations and all with interests in the Qatar to Europe Pipeline or is it now the Israel to Europe Pipeline, now that Qatar has teamed up with Iran and China? 12 nations, that were mentioned in the press release that went with the article below.
France Germany Netherlands Israel New Zealand Sweden Switzerland UK US Saudi Arabia Canada Australia
European Union donates €4.6 million to OPCW Special Missions and the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism… https://www.opcw.org/news/article/european-union-donates-EUR23-million-for-opcw-special-missions-2/
Also, who funds the White Helmets and how many of those nations, remember there are also undisclosed nations, were also part of the 12 sponsors of the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/93aa314f0cc53c117ee231786ac3af1bcf59da3232ef01f5258e6b3bcb7a8b7f.png
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/389ce11164e6b90b23fa30601ef18c52a5ce157527ba754eb8dbab3fb71f3030.jpg