UNSC President Russia Still Opposed to Action on Burma

By Clive Parker
January 4, 2007
Irrawaddy
Original Source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=6547&z=163

  
Russia on Wednesday said it remained opposed to addressing Burma at the UN Security Council despite US intentions to push for a resolution in 2007.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin, the incoming president of the Security Council for January, told reporters in New York that Moscow still felt that Burma’s case was not the responsibility of the UN’s most powerful body.

“Along with some other Security Council members, we voted against the inclusion of that issue [Burma] in the agenda of the Security Council for the simple reason…we do believe the situation in that country does not pose any threat to international peace and security,” he said. “We are not the only ones that feel that way.”

Russia along with China, Qatar and the Congo were the only four countries to oppose the ultimately successful attempt to place Burma on the Security Council’s formal agenda in September last year.

Announcing the council’s schedule for this month, Churkin said its 15 members would hold a debate on Monday on “threats to international peace and security” in the presence of the new UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 

The session is likely to reassess what issues fall under the authority of the UN’s most powerful body, a debate which has been fuelled by disagreement on whether Burma should be addressed at the council. Churkin on Wednesday said that issues including human rights “need to be addressed in the proper fora,” adding that “there is tendency sometimes from the Security Council to take too much on its plate.” 

Last Thursday, a US State Department statement said that Washington “remains committed to pursuing this [Burma] resolution as soon as possible in the new year.” 

However, on Wednesday Churkin said he had not received a request to address Burma formally during the Russian presidency of the Council in January, only that there had been “informal exchanges” on the issue. 

Meanwhile, state-run The New Light of Myanmar reported that Russia was among the countries to congratulate Burma on its official Independence Day on Thursday. In a message to the head of the junta, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was sure that traditionally close ties between the two countries would further develop “in the interest of peace and security in Asia and in the whole world.”