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| Chart displaying vote nation-wise vote status. UNHCR voted to extend the commission of inquiry on Syria [Photo: UNifeed] |
Geneva: Russia, China and Cuba
voted on Friday against a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) decision
to extend the mandate of the , International Commission of Inquiry on Syria,
while India, Uganda and Philippines abstained.
Members of the Human
Rights Council voted to extend the commission of inquiry on Syria,
calling for full cooperation from the Syrian authorities with the commission,
including granting the team access to the country to carry out their
inquiry.
Syria's Representative
at UNHRC, Faisal al-Hamwi described the decision as shameful, politicised and
selective, and ''highly tolerant with al-Qaeda terrorists.''
United States
Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe said she regretted that President Syrian
Bahsar-Al-Assad continued "to cling to power", adding, "We
cannot afford to be silent".
Meanwhile China's
Ambassador said that the international community should respect Syrian
sovereignty and independence. Ambassador Xia Jingge said that the political
transition should be led by the Syrian people and not "imposed from
outside".
Syria's Ambassador
said that the draft resolution did not reflect reality in Syria. Faysal Khabbaz
Hamoui said that the resolution was based on "accusations which are in
many cases purely fictitious such as the vain accusations regarding the Houlah
massacres".