Self-interest vs human values Wednesday, 08 February 2012 04:15

Russia and China dealt a body blow to the global efforts to end the violence in Syria when they vetoed a UN resolution endorsing an Arab League plan to resolve the crisis in that country through a “Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, plural political system…”

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin justified the veto saying the draft “sent an unbalanced signal to the Syrian political parties” and did not accurately reflect the situation there and that there was no proposal to end attacks by armed groups or their association with extremists.

China’s UN Representative Li Baodong defended his country’s decision by saying that Beijing also called for an immediate end to all violence in Syria but the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected.

He said: “China maintains that under the current circumstances, to put undue pressure on the Syria government will not help resolve the Syrian issue.”

This is the second time the two countries vetoed a UN resolution on Syria. In October last year Russia and China used a double veto to block a European-drafted resolution condemning the violent crackdown in the country and threatening it with possible sanctions.

By this action, Russia and China have once again divided the international community and undermined the United Nations. And on the day when Syrian forces assaulted the city of Homs killing more than 200 people just hours before the UN vote.

According to the figures given by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in mid-December, more than 5,000 people have died in the violence in Syria. Since then, they have been unable to update the figure “because of the fragmentation on the ground.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) recently announced that at least 384 children have been killed in Syria during the 10-month uprising while around 380 children have been detained, some of them not even 14.

These appalling statistics should prompt Russia and China to think about the impact their veto decision could have on the thousands traumatised by the gruesome violence that has engulfed the country.

Their continuing support for the Syrian regime, especially since they know of the ongoing violence not just against civilians but innocent children, in effect makes them an accessory to this crime against humanity. As British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said: “Those who blocked council action must ask themselves how many more deaths they will be prepared to tolerate.”

By their veto action, Russia and China are adding fuel to the fire and have pushed Syria more and more to the brink of a civil war instead of providing a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Moreover, their action indicate that the two countries are so concerned about their relationship with President Assad’s regime that they are ready to sacrifice their reputation in the international community.

Russia and China should remember that Syria is bigger than Assad and that Damascus is not the only capital wherein they have economic or political interests. They seem to forget that they also have relations with other countries, which will not condone their veto action.

For example, the GCC states, which support the Arab League-sponsored UN resolution, have a lot of business transactions with Russia and China. According to reports, bilateral trade between the GCC and China grew ten-fold to $100bn in the past decade. Also, it was only last month when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar – a first by any Chinese premier – and signed various trade, infrastructure and cultural cooperation agreements with these countries.

On the other hand, while trade exchange between Russia and other GCC countries was just $2bn in 2008, some GCC firms have made substantial investments in the Russian energy and mining sectors.

In November last year, the First Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf was held in Abu Dhabi, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a higher level of political and economic relationship with GCC countries. He even said that Russia could be a partner in the GCC’s desire for diversification of trade and investment ties in the oil and gas sector as well as in the field of nuclear energy.

The recent U.N. Security Council action could be a possible setback for the growing economic ties of the GCC states with Russia, and China.

A deeper shows that the veto decision of Russia and China was borne out of the political and economic gain they see in Syria rather than humanitarian reasons and they are using the situation to their advantage.

Syria is Russia’s only remaining ally in the Middle East. Ruslan Pukhov, head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, told the Associated Press: “It would make no sense for Russia to drop its support for Assad. He is Russia’s last remaining ally in the Middle East, allowing it to preserve some influence in the region.”

The country is also a major buyer of Russian arms. According to reports by Kommersant, a Russian newspaper, Syria ordered 36 Yak-130 combat jets worth $550 million. Russia also maintains a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus.

China, on the other hand, is ranked as Syria’s third-largest importer in 2010, according to data from the European Commission. China National Petroleum Corporation is also a joint venture partner with Syria’s national oil company and Royal Dutch Shell in the Al-Furat Petroleum Company, the main oil producing group in the country. China is also helping Syria in some major construction projects.

It is such a shame that these countries are looking after their interest at the cost of humanity being slaughtered almost daily. Their actions seem to indicate that they would rather sacrifice their relations with other allies and friends for the sake of one man if that is what looks more beneficial, at least in the short run.

The Peninsula