Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY 1 MAART, 2017

A8 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 1 March 2017

Russia, China veto new United Nations sanctions on Syria

EDITH M. LEDERER “yes” votes on Tuesday but
Associated Press in addition to China and
UNITED NATIONS (AP) Rus- Russia, Bolivia voted “no”
sia and China vetoed and three countries ab-
new U.N. sanctions on stained Egypt, Ethiopia
Syria Tuesday and the U.S. and Kazakhstan.
ambassador accused Addressing the three West-
both countries of refusing ern sponsors, Safronkov
to hold President Bashar said: “You decided on
Assad’s regime account- provocation when you
able for the use of chemi- knew well in advance our
cal weapons. position.” He stressed that
“They put their friends in the only way to resolve the
the Assad regime ahead Syrian conflict, now in its
of our global security,” sixth year, is through coop-
new American envoy Nikki eration “and it’s high time
Haley told the U.N. Secu- we do so.”
rity Council after the vote. Earlier Tuesday, Putin said
“They turned away from Russia will oppose any new
defenseless men, women sanctions against Syria
and children who died “because it wouldn’t help
gasping for breath when the negotiation process
Assad’s forces dropped Iraq U.N. Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim, left, and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, right, shake but only hamper it and un-
their poisonous gas.” hands Tuesday Feb. 28, 2017 at U.N. headquarters. Russia and China vetoed new U.N. sanctions dermine confidence as the
The Trump administration on Syria Tuesday and the U.S. ambassador accused both countries of refusing to hold President process of negotiations is
recently joined France and Bashar Assad’s regime accountable for the use of chemical weapons. under way.”
Britain in sponsoring the res- (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Haley, the U.S. ambassa-
olution, and Haley minced The defeated resolution Russia, Syria’s closest ally, rated nature of the con- dor, said Russia and Chi-
no words in denouncing was drafted following a joined Western nations in clusions.” He stressed that na sat through nearly a
the “outrageous and inde- joint investigation by the establishing the joint inves- there was “no convincing year of briefings by the JIM
fensible choice” that Rus- United Nations and the tigation, known as the JIM, evidence” to determine investigators and never
sia and China made on international chemical to determine responsibility who was responsible for us- objected “but now, they
Tuesday. President Donald weapons watchdog that for chemical attacks. ing chemical weapons. suddenly say the investiga-
Trump had warm words for determined the Syrian gov- But Russia’s deputy U.N. Safronkov also pointed to tion just wasn’t enough.”
Russian President Vladimir ernment was behind at ambassador Vladimir Saf- the divided Security Coun- “Russia’s suggestion is for
Putin while campaigning least three attacks involv- ronkov said after the vote cil vote saying many coun- the Assad regime to investi-
but Haley has now criti- ing chlorine gas and the Is- that Moscow let it be cil members have ques- gate itself for use of chemi-
cized Russia over its annex- lamic State extremist group known early on that it was tions about the JIM’s con- cal weapons,” she said.
ation of Ukraine’s Crimea was responsible for at least “skeptical” of the JIM’s re- clusions and the resolution. “There is nothing wrong
peninsula as well as Syria. one involving mustard gas. ports and the “uncorrobo- It got the minimum nine with the investigation.q

UN: 8,000 flee as Iraqi forces fight IS in western Mosul

SINAN SALAHEDDIN numbers of those fleeing hausted and dehydrated,” into neighboring Syria. a few of their possessions
Associated Press Mosul. With the support of the OCHA statement said, Citing eyewitness ac- in bags. Security forces
BAGHDAD (AP) — Since the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi adding that an estimated counts, OCHA said civilians separate the men from the
Iraqi government forces forces began the opera- 250,000 people could flee still in western Mosul are women and children be-
launched the push to take tion to retake western Mo- the fighting in the coming enduing shortages of ev- fore they are taken away
the western half of Mo- sul on Feb. 19, and have days. It also noted “high” erything — from food and in buses and military pickup
sul from the Islamic State so far captured the city’s trauma casualty rates water to gas, heating oil trucks. Meanwhile, Iraqi
group last week, about international airport and a from western Mosul, with and medical supplies. The special forces moved into
8,000 people have fled sprawling military base next at least 75 civilians treated prices of staples such sugar western Mosul’s Shuhada
from that part of the city to it as well some neighbor- near the front lines over the and potatoes have gone neighborhood amid fierce
and surrounding villages, hoods from the southern past week and warned the up. Associated Press foot- clashes with IS militants as
the U.N. humanitarian aid edge. Iraq declared east- situation for the estimated age from the village of al- federal police units contin-
agency said Tuesday. ern Mosul “fully liberated” 750,000 civilians remaining Salam southwest of the Mo- ued clearing up Gawsaq, a
The agency, known as in January, after three in western Mosul “is desper- sul airport shows hundreds neighborhood retaken on
OCHA, said it is expanding months of fierce fighting. ate” as supply lines have of civilians trickling to a Monday from IS, according
displacement camps to The people fleeing west- been cut off, in particular gathering point in an open to special forces and po-
cope with the increasing ern Mosul are “often ex- the highway from Mosul and dusty area, carrying lice officers.q