#6 The 15-nation Security Council is now faced with two conflicting drafts, both with little immediate chance of success since each is opposed by at least one veto-holding member. The United States, Russia, Britain, France and China have vetoes in the council.
The Russian draft says the Security Council endorses the six-point plan, which it then details. In conclusion it "calls upon the parties concerned to implement the above-mentioned plan in good faith."
Tuesday's draft, written by France and backed by other Western members, had called for an immediate Russian withdrawal to pre-conflict lines, the return of Georgian forces to their bases and full compliance with an already agreed cease-fire.
"STEP SIDEWAYS"
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Tuesday Russia could not support the French draft and there has been no vote on it. On Wednesday he called the text an "inexplicable effort to make the Security Council step sideways."
He said he hoped for positive reaction to the Russian draft by other council members.
"No one can object to the Security Council endorsing the six principles of the Russian and French presidents, which form the foundation of all current efforts to normalize the situation," he told reporters.
France originally had been negotiating with Russia a resolution similar to the one now drafted by Moscow but shelved it amid Western concerns that Russia was not making good on promises to pull back its troops in Georgia.
What I said. France is on our side on this, pique or no.
This isn't 2002 anymore folks. |
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council was expected to hold closed consultations later on Tuesday on Georgia as Western countries prepared a new draft resolution demanding Russian withdrawal, Western diplomats said. They said the consultations, expected at 3.30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT), were likely to be followed by a formal meeting to take a first look at the draft and be briefed on the situation in Georgia by senior U.N. officials.