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Russia, China veto US-drafted resolution on Zimbabwe

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-12 09:59

UNITED NATIONS -- Russia and China vetoed a US-drafted resolution in the UN Security Council on Friday that would impose sanctions on Zimbabwe over the country's presidential run-off election in late June.

Wang Guangya, China's permanent representative to the UN, raises his hand to veto a US-drafted resolution in the UN Security Council on Friday that would impose sanctions on Zimbabwe over the country's presidential run-off election in late June. [Xinhua]

South Africa, which is mediating Zimbabwe's political crisis, Libya and Vietnam also voted against the draft while Indonesia abstained.

Voting with the United States were Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Panama, Bukina Faso, Croatia and Costa Rica.

The failed text calls for a travel ban and an assets freeze on President Robert Mugabe and his top officials, as well as an arms embargo.

Opponents of the resolution argued that sanctions would undermine the mediation efforts of the African Union and the Southern African Development Community and endanger the negotiation process between the Zimbabwean government and the opposition.

They also said that the Zimbabwean issue arises from an internal dispute and therefore does not fit into the purview of the Security Council, which, as authorized by the UN Charter, should deal with threats to regional or international peace and security.

The problems in Zimbabwe "can not be resolved by artificially elevating them to the degree of a threat to international peace and security," Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the council.

"The council's application here of enforcement measures under chapter 7 of the UN Charter has no foundation and is excessive," Churkin said. "Moreover, this draft is nothing but the council's attempt to interfere into the internal affairs of a state, which is contrary to the UN Charter."

"The use or threaten to use sanctions lightly is not conducive to solving a problem," Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said.

"More importantly, the development of the situation in Zimbabwe till now, has not exceeded the context of its domestic affairs and it does not constitute a threat to the world peace and security," Wang said.

A resolution adopted at a time when "the situation in Zimbabwe is highly complex and sensitive" will "unavoidably interfere with the negotiation process and lead to the further deterioration of the situation," Wang noted.

In remarks before the vote, Zimbabwe's UN Ambassador B.G. Chidyausiku said that his country did not pose a threat to international peace and security.

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