UN Security Council to meet formally on Sri Lanka
14 May 2009, 0303 hrs IST, REUTERS
http://timesofindia
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council will hold its first formal
session on the plight of civilians in Sri Lanka on Wednesday, a move
diplomats said could increase pressure on government forces to stop
shelling a zone where tens of thousands of people are trapped.
Hundreds were reported killed on Sunday and Monday in artillery
barrages as troops attacked a narrow strip of land controlled by
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, who look set to lose a
25-year war.
The council, which has held several informal meetings on Sri Lanka
without taking any action, was due to start its session at 3 p.m.
(1900 GMT).
French UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said he and other Western
envoys told the Security Council behind closed doors that they would
like the 15-nation panel to issue a formal statement with a number of
demands.
"We said that we wanted the council to adopt today, if possible, a
formal text condemning what is going on, expressing serious concern
about the situation, condemning of course the LTTE (and) ... asking
the LTTE to surrender," he said.
It would also urge "the government of Sri Lanka to stop the shellings,
the heavy shellings and the bombings and to allow the humanitarian
workers of the UN and the UN agencies, of NGOs, to access the
(refugee) camps," he told reporters.
Council diplomats said privately that it would not be easy to get the
council to agree the Western draft statement in light of the sharp
divisions on Sri Lanka. Russia, China, Libya and Vietnam strongly
oppose involving the council on an issue they consider an internal
matter for Colombo.
Sri Lanka's government denies using heavy artillery against the
shrinking strip of land where the Tamil Tigers are trapped along with
tens of thousands of civilians, who UN officials say have become human
shields.
Ripert said there were now more than 200,000 internally displaced
refugees in camps outside the tiny conflict zone.
He added that the draft statement, penned by France, Britain and
Austria with the backing of the US delegation, would also support the
intention of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to go to Sri Lanka at
the earliest possible date.
Ban said on Monday he was appalled by the reports of heavy civilian casualties.
The council was also due to discuss another divisive issue -- an
independent inquiry on damage done to UN facilities by Israel during
its January war against Hamas militants controlling the Gaza Strip.
Libya has drafted a Security Council resolution which diplomats said
would condemn Israel for its actions during the war. Western diplomats
on the council said the resolution had little chance of passing.
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