US, Russia clash in Security Council over Syria missile strike
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who is President of the Council for this month, said Washington was "fully
justified" in carrying out the missile strikes and was prepared to take
further action.
The US and Russia clashed in the UN Security Council over the
missile attack on a Syrian airfield, with Washington warning it is
"prepared to do more" as Moscow accused it of flagrantly violating
international law with its "act of aggression."
The 15-nation
Security Council met for an emergency meeting yesterday on the situation
in Syria following the launch of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles by US into
the Shayrat Airbase as a response to the Syrian government's use of
chemical weapons from the base.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki
Haley, who is President of the Council for this month, said Washington
was "fully justified" in carrying out the missile strikes and was
prepared to take further action.
"Our military destroyed the
airfield from which this week's chemical strike took place. We were
fully justified in doing so," Haley said.
"The United States took a
very measured step last night. We are prepared to do more, but we hope
that will not be necessary. It is time for all civilised nations to stop
the horrors that are taking place in Syria and demand a political
solution," she said.
Haley said the US will no longer wait for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to use chemical weapons without any consequences.
"The
moral stain of the Assad regime could no longer go unanswered. His
crimes against humanity could no longer be met with empty words. It was
time to say "enough", but not only say it – it was time to act. Bashar
al-Assad must never use chemical weapons again. Ever," she said.
Haley
also called out Russia, saying it, along with Iran, bears considerable
responsibility for the crisis in Syria since "every time Assad has
crossed the line of human decency, Russia has stood beside him."
Russia
tore into the US, calling the missile strikes on Syrian territory a
"flagrant violation of international law and an act of aggression.
"We
strongly condemn the illegitimate actions by the US. The consequences
of this for regional and international stability could be extremely
serious,"
Russia's deputy UN ambassador Vladimir Safronkov said.
A
visibly agitated Safronkov said Washington, London and Paris have a
"paranoiac idea" of overthrowing the legitimate government in sovereign
Syria. In a particularly sharp attack against UK, Safronkov told
Britain's UN envoy Matthew Rycroft to "stop putting unprofessional
accusations" against Russia
"These (accusations) are not
diplomatic. They are lies. Once again, I warn don't even try to get into
fights in the Arab world. Nothing will be achieved. That is why you are
getting annoyed. All Arab countries recall your colonial hypocrisy," he
said.
Safronkov called on the US to "immediately cease" its aggression and join efforts towards a political settlement in Syria.
Syria's
envoy Mounzer Mounzer said the air strike by the US against his country
had been a "treacherous, barbaric, flagrant act of aggression" and a
grave violation of international law and the UN charter
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