17 November 2017 – For the third time in two days, the United Nations Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution on the mandate of an international panel investigating use of chemical weapons in Syria due to a negative vote by permanent member, Russia.
The mandate of the joint Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-UN panel, the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) expires today.
Had the Japanese-penned resolution been adopted, the mandate of the JIM would have been renewed for a period of 30 days, with a possibility of further extension by the Security Council if it deems necessary.
In addition to Russia, Bolivia voted against the draft. Another permanent member China abstained.
A negative vote – or veto – from one of the Council’s five permanent members (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States) means a resolution cannot be adopted.
Yesterday, two draft resolutions on the joint OPCW-UN panel – one sponsored by the United States and another by Bolivia – were defeated in the 15-member Security Council.
The JIM was established by the Council, unanimously, in 2015 to identify “to the greatest extent feasible” individuals, entities, groups or Governments perpetrating, organizing, sponsoring or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons in Syria.
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