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| Southeast Asia | |
| Double veto for Burma resolution | |
| 2007-01-13 | |
| China and Russia have cast a double veto in the UN Security Council, to stop a US draft resolution calling for an end to human rights abuses in Burma. The two countries' ambassadors said the resolution was outside the remit of the Security Council as Burma posed no threat to international security. South Africa, a new non-permanent member, also opposed the document. Qatar, Indonesia and the Republic of Congo abstained while the nine other members voted for. The draft resolution urged Burma's military rulers to end persecution of minorities and opposition groups. It called for the release of all political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest, and for all political groups to operate freely. "The United States is deeply disappointed by the failure of the council to adopt this resolution," acting US ambassador Alejandro Wolff said.
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| Posted by:Steve White |