US Blocks SC Statement Condemning Attack on Russia’s Damascus Embassy

On July 24 and 25, US-supported terrorists launched mortar rounds at Russia’s embassy in Damascus.

Other attacks occurred earlier. Moscow is vulnerable because of its commitment to combat terrorism.

In response to an October 2016 incident, Sergey Lavrov said “(i)t’s a blatant act of terror meant to scare those who support the battle against terrorism.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry called shelling its embassy in Damascus earlier the “result of the actions of those who, like the US and some of its allies, provoke the continued bloodshed in Syria and flirt with militants and extremists of all flavors.”

On Tuesday, Washington blocked a Security Council statement condemning the latest shelling incident.

According to its UN mission spokesman Fyodor Strzhizhovsky, “the text used standard wording regarding counter-terrorism and immunity of diplomatic missions.”

“With regret, we have to state that certain Security Council members have again refused to consider the Russian version of the project under the contrived pretext of the lack of evidence supporting the terrorist nature of the attacks.”

“It was suggested that all important provisions of the project should be deleted. Under these circumstances, the Russian side considers further work on this document useless.”

“(D)espite…statements (by Washington and its rogue partners in high crimes) viewing anti-terrorism struggle as their priority, they repeatedly try to protect those who they probably think may be useful in their devastating geopolitical plans regarding Syria.”

“It’s high time they demonstrated their commitment to a political settlement of the Syrian conflict…and tried to join forces in counteracting terrorism” – instead of supporting it.

Like earlier, July 24 and 25 shellings of Russia’s Damascus embassy came from the city’s terrorist-controlled Jobar district. Moscow’s deputy UN envoy Vladimir Safronkov called on Security Council members to condemn the attack.

Attempts to get SC condemnation of earlier attacks on the embassy failed – Washington, Britain and France blocking them, claiming unacceptable wording.

In May, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzya was named Moscow’s permanent UN ambassador, succeeding Vitaly Churkin. In February, he died on the eve of his 65th birthday, a tragic loss for his family and country.

Nebenzya is expected to assume his duties in New York this week. He served as Deputy Foreign Affairs minister since June 2013. Since the late 1980s, he’s held various diplomatic posts, including deputy UN envoy in 2011 and 2012.