Statement by Spokesperson Erin Pelton on Syria

Erin Pelton
Director of Communications and Spokesperson 
U.S. Mission to the United Nations 

New York, NY

February 22, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Russian UN Mission's assertion that the United States blocked a draft UN Security Council press statement yesterday condemning the car bombing in Damascus is false. In fact, the United States accepted all elements of the Russian draft statement and merely requested the addition of language concerning the regime's brutal attacks against the Syrian people. Unfortunately, if predictably, Russia rejected the U.S. suggested language as "totally unacceptable" and withdrew its draft statement. The language Russia rejected is:

"The members of the Security Council also condemned the Syrian government's continued, indiscriminate use of heavy weaponry against civilians, including its February 18 launch of ballistic missiles in residential areas of Aleppo and February 21 airstrikes that hit a field hospital in Dera'a. The members of the Security Council called upon all sides of the conflict to respect international law."

The United States condemns all terrorist attacks against civilians and diplomatic facilities. However, it is unacceptable to the United States that the UN Security Council not also express its outrage at the heinous, sustained attacks on innocent civilians that the Syrian regime continues to launch on a daily basis.

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