17:11 06/12/2011Top News <
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Russia abstains from voting on UNSC sanctions against Eritrea
UNITED NATIONS, December 6 (Itar-Tass) — Russia abstained during voting at
the UN Security Council on sanctions resolution against Eritrea, because it
believes that its text “contains a number of insufficiently grounded
provisions,” including those relating to the involvement of this African
state in the “so-called planned terror act in Addis Ababa during a summit
of the African Union there” in January 2011, RF Permanent Representative to
the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said at the UN Security Council.
Shortly before his speech the UN Security Council by an overwhelming
majority passed Resolution 2023, which imposed additional sanctions against
Eritrea, accusing it of “further support of the armed opposition groups,
including Al-Shabaab the actions of which undermine peace and hinder
reconciliation in Somalia and the region.” The draft resolution put forward
by Gabon and Nigeria was approved by 13 out of 15 member countries of the
UN Security Council. Russia and China abstained.
“The Russian Federation categorically rejects terrorism in all its forms
and manifestations,” Churkin said, in particular. “But in this case the UN
Security Council was not provided convincing evidence of Eritrea’s
involvement in this.” “We do not know the results of the investigation of
this incident, if it was conducted at all,” the Russian ambassador said.
In Moscow’s view, “imposing sanctions is an extreme measure.” “Before
resorting to the imposition of sanctions, it is necessary to maximally use
the political and diplomatic methods of work,” said Churkin. In this
connection the RF permanent representative to the United Nations called on
Eritrea and its neighbours “to start an open and transparent discussion of
all key issues for improving the situation in this part of the African
continent.”
According to a UN press release, the Security Council on Monday placed
additional sanctions on Eritrea for continuing to provide support to armed
groups seeking to destabilize Somalia and other parts of the Horn of
Africa, building on the arms and travel embargoes it imposed exactly two
years ago. The resolution followed an earlier meeting on Monday at which
the Council heard a briefing from the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD).
The Council expressed its grave concern in the text that “Eritrea has
continued to provide political, financial, training and logistical support
to armed opposition groups, including Al-Shabaab, engaged in undermining
peace, security and stability in Somalia and the region.”It also condemned
the planned terrorist attack of January 2011 to disrupt the African Union
summit in Addis Ababa, as expressed by the findings of the Somalia/Eritrea
Monitoring Group in July.
It also condemned the planned terrorist attack of January 2011 to disrupt
the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, as expressed by the findings of
the Somalia/Eritrea Monitoring Group in July.
The group found that the Eritrean Government “conceived, planned, organized
and directed a failed plot” to disrupt the summit by bombing a series of
civilian and governmental targets.
In December 2009, the Council adopted a resolution which imposed sanctions
on Eritrea for supporting insurgents trying to topple the government in
nearby Somalia. The measures included an arms embargo on Eritrea, travel
bans on the country’s top political and military officials, and the
freezing of assets of some of its senior political and military officials.
By the resolution, which was sponsored by Gabon and Nigeria, the Council
condemned Eritrea’s violations of earlier resolutions, according to the UN.
It demanded that it “cease all direct or indirect efforts to destabilize
States,” including through financial, military, intelligence and
non-military assistance, such as the provision of training centres and
camps for armed groups, passports, living expenses, or travel facilitation,
it says.
The Council also voiced concern at the potential use of the Eritrean mining
sector as a source of finance to destabilize the Horn of Africa. It decided
that States should take measures to ensure that their companies involved in
mining in Eritrea exercise “due diligence” so that funds derived from the
sector are not used to destabilize the region. In addition, the Council
called on Eritrea to engage constructively with Djibouti to resolve their
border dispute.
According to the UNSC, by further terms of the text, the Council expressed
its intention to apply targeted sanctions against individuals and entities
that meet the listing criteria set out in paragraph 15 of resolution 1907
(2009) and paragraph 1 of resolution 2002 (2011). (Together, those
resolutions imposed an arms embargo, as well as a travel ban and assets
freeze on Eritrea’s political and military leaders, and expanded the
sanctions regime to include individuals and entities recruiting or using
child soldiers in Somalia’s armed conflicts, and targeting civilians or
committing attacks against schools and hospitals.)
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Received on Wed Dec 07 2011 - 13:50:37 EST