Bolivia seeks UNSC meeting on US threats to Syria

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 11 (APP):Bolivia has called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss “the threats of unilateral military action” against Syria, hours after US President Donald Trump warned of missile attack.
“My delegation has requested the presidency of the council to convene a meeting for tomorrow for consultations and also for the presidency to ask the (UN) Secretariat to brief the council on the situation (in the context of) the escalation of rhetoric regarding Syria and threats for unilateral military action,” Bolivia’s U.N. Ambassador Sacha Sergio Llorentty Soliz told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday.
He said the meeting would be in the form of closed-door consultations.
“There’s a consistency in these threats, so we are concerned because any unilateral action would be a violation of the principles and purposes of the (U.N.) Charter,” Ambassador Soliz said, obviously referring to Trump’s threat of military action.
Trump warned Russia on Wednesday of imminent military action in Syria over a suspected deadly poison gas attack, declaring that missiles “will be coming” and denouncing Moscow for standing by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Dozens of people died and hundreds were injured in the attack, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The 15-member Council failed on Tuesday to approve three draft resolutions on chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Russia vetoed a U.S. text, while two Russian-drafted resolutions failed to get a minimum nine votes to pass.
“Whatever happens next has to abide by international law,” Swedish U.N. Ambassador Olof Skoog told reporters on Wednesday, referring to U.S. plans for military action.
“What the Syrian people want and need is peace and justice, not further military escalation or impunity. Let that also be a response to planned military intervention etc.,” Skoog told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York.
“Whatever happens now has to be in line with international law,” he said before walking into the Security Council chamber for a meeting on Mali.
Skoog refused to comment on a tweet by Trump Wednesday morning.
“Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’ You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” Trump tweeted.
Asked whether such military actions against Syria requires Security Council authorization, Skoog said: “The (UN) Charter is very clear about military intervention.”