Frustrated by the veto cast by Russia on 5 December 2016 on the topic of Syria, NPSIA students taking INAF 5479 (Special Topics in International Affairs: The UN Security Council: Its History, Evolution, Decision-Making and Contributions given by Dr. Andrea Charron) decided to hold a mock debate and come up with an alternate draft resolutions to S/2016/1026 that Russia might accept. The students were allowed only 4 preambular and 4 operative paragraphs. The goal set was to keep the protection of civilians in the forefront. Here is their new resolution that passed with 9 yes votes, 4 abstentions (Angola, Senegal, US and UK) and 1 no show (Ukraine).
Lessons learned from this pedagogical exercise:1) politics is always a part of decision-making on the Security Council; 2) How quickly the diplomatic language crept into the deliberations; 3) that the ultimate resolution adopted was a compromise passed because time had run out and a sense of some exasperation moreso than the desire to have the “best” resolution; 4) how difficult it is to come up with a concrete plan to protect civilians beyond words to that effect; 5) the importance of consultation, especially via the Aria formula; and 6) Sadly, this does nothing to help the people of Syria.
United Nations S/2016/1026 – take 2
Security Council
Distr.: General 7 December 2016
Original: English
NPSIA 5417 Security Council Course are the pens
The Security Council
Recalling its resolutions 2042 (2012), 2043 (2012), 2118 (2013), 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014), 2175 (2014), 2191 (2014), 2209 (2015), 2254 (2015), 2258 (2015) and 2268 (2016), (SAME)
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, (SAME)
Gravely distressed by the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian situation in Syria, and the fact that now more than13.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria, and that about 6.1 million people are internally displaced (in addition to the half a million Palestinian refugees who had settled in Syria), and several hundred thousand people are suffering in besieged areas, (SAME)
Emphasizing that the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria continues to constitute a threat to peace and security in the region, and will continue to deteriorate further in the absence of a political solution to the crisis, and stressing in this regard that there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria, (REMOVED CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES)
1.Strongly condemns the deliberate targeting of civilians in situations of armed conflict as well as attacks on objects protected under international law, and calls on all parties to put an end to such practices; (Taken from Para 2 of S/RES/1265 (1999) dedicated to the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict and unanimously adopted)
2.Demands all parties to the conflict cease all collaboration with ISIL,Al-Nusra Front (ANF), and other terrorist groups, as designated by the Security Council; and further demands that all combatants not designated by the Security Council take steps to separate expeditiously from terrorists designated by the Security Council, and also demands members of the International Syria Support Group to dissuade any party from fighting in collaboration with terrorists designated by the Security Council; (This was para 7 in the original draft)
3.Demands the full and immediate implementation of the political process outlined in resolution 2254, and in that respect reiterates that the only sustainable solution to the current crisis in Syria is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people in line with the Geneva Communiqué and resolution 2254, and in this regard strongly supports the intention of the Secretary-General, through his good offices and the efforts of his Special Envoy for Syria, to convene formal negotiations as soon as possible; (This was para 12 in the original draft)
4.Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. (This was para 14 in the original draft. Sorry Canada, this means Uniting for Peace resolution is not possible at this time)