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10-12-2001 |  |
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Syria joins United Nations Security Council
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Syria won a seat on the U.N. Security Council on Monday with support from 160 nations and no opposition from the United States, despite its prominent position on the U.S. list of nations sponsoring terrorism.
Israel was the only U.N. member to oppose Syria's bid to join the powerful U.N. decision-making body. It was joined by several Jewish organizations and 38 members of the U.S. Congress who wrote to President George W. Bush on Friday urging that he oppose Syria's election.
Syria was the unanimous choice for an Asian seat on the council, to replace Bangladesh on Jan. 1. Candidates that have unanimous regional support are almost always elected.
The Security Council is made up of 15 members. Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States hold permanent seats. Ten nonpermanent members are elected to two-year terms with five elected every year.
On the first ballot in the General Assembly, the three countries running unopposed--Syria, Cameroon and Guinea-- all won easy election. Guinea, with 173 votes, and Cameroon, with 172, will replace Mali and Tunisia.
Bulgaria defeated Belarus for an East European seat formerly held by Ukraine by a vote of 120 to 60, and on the second ballot Mexico defeated the Dominican Republic by a vote of 138 to 40 for a Latin American seat.
``I'm proud for this great success,'' Syria's U.N. Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe said after the vote, as fellow ambassadors swamped him with congratulations. ``It's more than 90 percent, which is the highest kind of success, and it is [a] very excellent message to the world.''
But Israel's U.N. Ambassador Yehuda Lancry said Syria's election went against the ``spirit and letter'' of the U.N. Charter which stipulates that every candidate for the Security Council ``should prove its adequacy in terms of its contribution to international peace and security.''
``Syria indeed backs terrorist groups inside Syria and outside Syria,'' Lancry said. ``It is really a sheer absurdity and a sheer nonsense to have Syria as a member of the Security Council.''
When told of the Israeli criticism, Wehbe said, ``I expected that.''
He wouldn't respond to a question in English asking whether he hoped Syria would be removed from the U.S. list of terrorist sponsors. He told reporters in Arabic that Syria opposes terrorism, but supports the right of people ``under occupation,'' like the Palestinians, to fight for independence.
Wehbe said in English that his country is ``very committed'' to the U.N. Charter and Security Council resolutions, and would act ``to preserve the peace and security in the world.''
Nasser Al-Kidwa, the Palestinian U.N. envoy, called Israel's position ``isolated'' and ``dangerous.''
``I would like frankly to see Israel cease trying to push this kind of unacceptable agenda, especially in these times,'' he said.
``Let's try to take another look at maybe things which are in common among all of us, instead of this pervasive position.''
Last year, the United States led successful campaign to keep Sudan, also on the U.S. list of terrorism sponsors, off the council.
But this year, even before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the U.S. administration made no move to promote a rival country to challenge Syria, and it refused to say anything against Syria's bid.
Since Sept. 11, the United States has been trying to enlist Syria's help in its global anti-terrorism campaign, and Syrian President Bashar Assad has condemned the attacks.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said: ``The United States will continue to express our concerns regarding terrorism with the Syrian government.''
``The United States will also continue to expect Syria to meet its obligations to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, to fulfill all Security Council resolutions and to contribute to international peace and security, responsibilities that are only increased by its membership on the Security Council,'' he said.
Saudi Arabia's U.N. ambassador, Fawzi Shobokshi, said``Syria deserves to be a member of the Security Council ... because they represent a responsible government ... and play an important role in our part of the world.''
In an editorial Monday, Syria's state-run Al-Baath newspaper said that with the start of the air strikes against Afghanistan, there was ``an increasing need for a voice that calls for the importance of consolidating peace, security and cooperation in this world.''
But Rep. Eliot L. Engel, a New York Democrat who sent the letter to Bush opposing Syria's candidacy, said after Monday's vote that ``making Syria a member of the Security Council is akin to putting the fox inside the chicken coop.''