Remarks by Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, following UNSC meeting on Syria
Q: The Constitutional Committee. The Syrian government seems to reject the UN’s role and Staffan de Mistura’s role in creating this Committee. Is it your understanding?
A: I am not here to interpret what other colleagues were saying. They can speak for themselves, but our interpretation of the outcomes of the Congress is unequivocal, it is based on the Final Statement that was issued after the Congress and which we distributed today as the document of the Security Council. You can look at it yourself. The only thing that I can suggest that what was meant by the Syrian ambassador is that he wants the constitutional process to be Syrian-led. The role of the UN is the assistance in the process of forming the Constitutional Committee, its mandate, terms of reference etc. It is clearly said in the Final Statement.
Q: We heard warning against major regional and international confrontation because of all what is going on in Syria, your US counterpart mentioned Russia specifically to pressure President Assad.
A: She always mentions Russia, I think she likes Russia, that’s why. She can not but mention Russia in every statement that I hear from Nikky. But we said today that what was demanded from us we delivered. I think that nobody delivered more than us on the political process in Syria. We are working both with the government and with the opposition through de-escalation zones, through the Astana process. And we managed to convene and hold an unprecedented event that the congress of the Syrian national dialogue in Sochi was.
Q: Major confrontation in the region because of what’s going on in Syria? Do you agree with this?
Q: Do you share concern with your French counterpart about a major international or regional confrontation in Syria?
A: We are doing everything to prevent any major international confrontation in Syria. We are working on that hard and that is what we are doing in the framework of the political process.
Q: Do you still believe the Swedish call for 30 days of ceasefire is unrealistic?
A: The Security Council should be credible. It should keep its credibility and authority and strive only for those goals that are achievable. We are willing to have the ceasefire, de-escalation immediately, but the situation on the ground does not allow us to believe that it can be done overnight. It is not that one side is willing it whole heartedly and the other is preventing them from it. There is fighting going on there and the fighting is between the Syrian army and the terrorists. Let’s be frank about it.
Q: So, new vote this week?
A: First, vote means something bad in the Security Council. Consensus means good. We are striving for consensus and as soon as we can reach it, than we will do it.
