Remarks to the Press by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia after the Security Council briefing and vote on Syria
Q.: Ambassador, you got only one more vote in favor. Did you expect that?
A.: Look, we do not buy or sell votes. We are not making anyone vote in our favor, we expect everyone to vote out of their respective national positions, based on their principle position. But today we saw a deliberate show to entertain the international community with another Russian veto. I said during my statement, when that resolution was introduced, that the co-sponsors new perfectly well what the result would be. Nevertheless, they went on with that resolution, knowing the end result. And we know, that they are not alone, that there are those who stood behind the scene, who wanted the show desperately as well to see a Russian veto during our Presidency. All right, if that was what they wanted to achieve, then they achieved it.
Q.: A question about the UN investigation team in Saudi Arabia. Do you expect them to report to the Security Council as the Secretary-General says? If the result was pointing at Iran, what do you think the response of the international community should be?
A.: The group of the Committee 2231 went to Iran. At first we have to see, with what it will return. In previous meetings of the Security Council on that resolution we expressed our doubt on the capacity and the mandate of the group to investigate or to present evidence on issues, that are not directly related to its mandate. But one way or the other, I am pretty sure the Security Council will know about the results of their findings and will judge proceeding from that.
Q.: Your colleagues at the Security Council warned against worsening of the humanitarian situation because of what has happened today, the veto from Russia and China specifically.
A.: The outcome of today’s meeting does not in any way influence the humanitarian situation in Idlib. Whether we have adopted that resolution or not, the situation there remains dire. We fully recognize it. The reason why the situation is dire is not because we have not adopted the resolution, but because terrorists took that province as hostage.
Q.: The Americans and a number of other countries are asking the UN to make the conclusions of the Board of Inquiry in Idlib public. What is the Russia’s position on that? Does Russia want the conclusions to be made public?
A.: First of all, I was already saying that in our view that is an internal inquiry by the UN to discover how it performs, in particular with the deconfliction mechanism that we established: how it works, whether it needs improvement. We believe it does need improvement, judging by the facts we eluded to during our press-conference. The results of that investigation as I understand will be reported to the Secretary-General, because it was a group established by his decision and he owes that group, not us.
Q.: Ambassador, Saudi Arabia sent a letter to Secretary-General and Security Council asking for international community’s reaction to the recent attack. Have you seen it and what is your reaction?
A.: I have not. It has never been discussed anywhere in the Security Council, so I have no reaction to it yet.
Q.: The Panel of experts is going to Saudi Arabia – who asked the Panel to go?
A.: I understand, the Secretary-General. He said it yesterday in his interview.
Q.: And what is the time frame?
A.: I have no idea. Thank you.
