The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution condemning the Syrian government’s use of heavy weaponry as it battles against rebel forces, in the midst of Kofi Annan stepping down as the UN and Arab League negotiator for Syria.
The resolution passed earlier on Friday also goes on to condemn the UN Security Council for failing to make Syria comply with earlier UN decisions.
It was passed by 133 votes to 12, with 31 abstentions. Russia voted "no" on Friday along with China, Syria, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Burma, Zimbabwe and Venezuela. India and Pakistan were amongst those who abstained.
The vote comes as Kofi Annan, current international peace envoy to Syria announced on Thursday that he will step down at the end of this month as the Free Syrian Army and President Bashar al-Assad forces continue to collide. His resignation leaves a stinging remark of the failure of the international body and U.N Security Council for not supporting his efforts in establishing a cease-fire.
Annan’s decision to quit was centered on “finger-pointing and name-calling” at the U.N. Security Council over the Syrian civil war.
He told reporters,
"As an envoy, I can't want peace more than the protagonists, more than the Security Council or the international community for that matter".
"The increasing militarization on the ground and the clear lack of unity in the Security Council have fundamentally changed the circumstances for the effective exercise of my role".
"The bloodshed continues, most of all because of the Syrian government's intransigence, and continuing refusal to implement the six-point plan, and also because of the escalating military campaign of the opposition—all of which is compounded by the disunity of the international community."
Syria expressed its regret for Annan leaving his position, while Annan said "It is clear that President Bashar al-Assad must leave office". He also called on the Western powers to press the opposition force to embrace a political solution.
Annan’s decision to resign comes nearly two weeks after China and Russia vetoed a resolution that was set in motion by Western countries which would have reasserted Annan’s diplomacy in Syria with a threat of sanction.
Martin Nesirky, Ban Ki Moon’s spokesperson, declined to comment who will be replacing Annan.
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