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New Delhi – India and 35 other nations have abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution led by Canada, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in the war-ravaged country. The resolution, expressing ‘outrage and indignation’ at the mounting violence in Syria, specifically war-torn Aleppo, was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour, 13 against and 36 abstentions on Friday.
Russia, China, Iran and Syria voted against the General Assembly resolution, while Bangladesh, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal chose to abstain from voting.
According to Indian diplomatic sources, India refrained from voting on the resolution to keep itself in line with its traditional approach which does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.
Sources added that the resolution had humanitarian elements mixed up with wider political elements, which are the ‘Source of Contention.’ Apparently, this lead to India not favouring the resolution, keeping in consideration the humanitarian aspect of the resolution, India didn’t vote against the resolution either. Many analysts believe India abstained because of its recent diplomatic and economic developments with Russia.
The 193-member Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and complete end to all aggression against civilians and, additionally, to put an end to all sieges in the war-torn country.
The General Assembly also communicated grave concerns about the continued devastating humanitarian crisis in the country and demanded “rapid, safe, sustained, unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access throughout the country for UN and all humanitarian actors.”
American Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said that while the resolution is far from perfect, it is a vote to “stand up to tell Russia and (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to stop the carnage.”
“This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war. This is a vote to demand food, medicine, and safety urgently for a population in eastern Aleppo who have none,” she said.
Canada pressed this resolution in the General Assembly, just days after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a similar resolution demanding a ceasefire in Aleppo, as two of its permanent members, China and Russia, cast their vetoes.
