Overwhelming majority for UN resolution on Syria

The results of the vote in the General Assembly
© UN Photo

The results of the vote in the General Assembly

There is increasing international pressure on President Assad to stop the violence in Syria. On 16 February, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the violence being perpetrated by the Syrian regime.

Foreign Minister Westerwelle expressed satisfaction at the UN General Assembly vote. He described the resolution, passed by an overwhelming majority, as “a clear message of solidarity with the Syrian people and condemnation of the violence being perpetrated by the Assad regime”.

The vote saw 137 countries in favour of the draft resolution and 12 against it – Russia and China among them. The resolution condemns the Syrian regime for “systematic violations of human rights” in the strongest possible terms and calls for an immediate end to the violence.

Efforts made by the Arab League

Sponsored by Egypt on behalf of the Arab states, the resolution bolsters the efforts made by the Arab League to find a peaceful solution for Syria. Westerwelle pointed out the necessity of making use of the momentum the resolution provided, saying, “The fact that so many states from the region support this resolution is a clear message to those who have been hanging back that they should play a more constructive role in the Arab League’s efforts to find a solution.”

Westerwelle also appealed to “those who have been hanging back to lend constructive support to the Arab League’s work towards a solution”.

Nabil El Araby briefing the Security Council
© UN Photo

Nabil El‑Araby briefing the Security Council

Nabil El Araby briefing the Security Council

The Arab League has been trying for weeks to bring about a political solution and an end to the violence. It presented a roadmap for peace, including plans to establish a transition period, at the end of January. It is also planning to appoint a special envoy for Syria. A Friends of Syria group is to meet for the first time in Tunis on 24 February, providing a forum for Arab and Western states to discuss how to proceed.

Syria in the United Nations

The United Nations Secretary-General welcomed the resolution, calling it a “long-awaited signal”, and appealed to the Assad regime to comply with the urgings of the international community. The newly adopted General Assembly resolution comes after a series of failed attempts to condemn the violence in Syria in the UN Security Council.

The German Government has long campaigned for the Security Council to adopt a resolution which takes a clear stance. The most recent draft was blocked in late February by vetoes from Russia and China.

The UN General Assembly had previously condemned the human rights violations being perpetrated in Syria on 19 December last year. Unlike Security Council resolutions, those passed in the General Assembly are not binding under international law but are classed as recommendations. They can nonetheless result in major political messages being sent out – when, for example, they have the support of a large majority of states.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke in the General Assembly on 13 February to call on the member states to act now. “The longer the international community fails to take action,” she said, “the more the civilian population will suffer from countless atrocities committed against them.”

According to UN estimates, around 5400 people in Syria have been killed by the security forces since the start of unrest in March 2011. Large numbers of people have fled their homes, many seeking refuge abroad.

EU sanctions

Since early May 2011, the European Union has reacted to the ongoing violence in Syria with eleven rounds of sanctions. In addition to a ban on oil imports from Syria, they include a comprehensive arms embargo against Syria, sanctions on Syrian companies and institutions as well as travel restrictions and asset freezes targeting President Assad and members of his family, senior military figures, and other persons with close ties to the regime.

On 23 January 2012, the EU foreign ministers agreed to expand the sanctions on Syria to include 22 more individuals and eight additional entities. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton is convinced that this decision will increase the pressure on those responsible for unacceptable violence in Syria. There are plans to further tighten sanctions at the Foreign Affairs Council in late February.

Council conclusions on Syria

Information for travellers and German citizens in Syria

Warnings are in place against travelling to Syria. The Federal Foreign Office again emphatically urges all German citizens still in Syria to leave the country.

Last updated 17.02.2012

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