Saturday 14 June 2014

Moscow Demands Immediate UN Probe Into Use Of Incendiary Bombs in Ukraine

nsnbcMoscow is demanding an immediate UN probe into Kiev’s use of outlawed incendiary bombs in Ukraine’s rebelling southeastern regions. Moscow will present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, urging the observation of the OSCE roadmap for Ukraine.
Semenovka_Incindiary bombs_Ukraine_1The calls come after yesterday’s use of banned incendiary bombs in the village of Semenovka near the Ukraine’s eastern city of Slavyansk. Eyewitnesses to the bombings reported the use of white phosphor bombs on Wednesday night. The Russian RIA Novosty quotes the local self-defense headquarters on Thursday, saying that Semenkova came under an attack that apparently involved fire bombs. The bombs exploded right above the village and split into smoldering fragments, reported eyewitnesses.
The use of phosphor bombs is internationally banned. The burning substance can’t be extinguished and burns through flesh and bones if a person has been hit by the substance. The Itar-Tass news agency quotes Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying:
“We have ordered to our Ambassador to UN Vitaly Churkin to present to the Security Council a draft resolution on the situation in Ukraine, as we are very concerned by the lack of any progress in the efforts to stop the violence, to stop the war, beginning from the end of the punitive operation”.
“In this resolution we have focused on the fact it is necessary to insist the Ukrainian side began implementing the OSCE roadmap, based on the Geneva statement of April 17, and which was presented after the talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, … It is a very important moment, as, we see, there are clear attempts to distance from the balanced and fair character of the approaches in the roadmap, and there are attempts to promote certain unilateral plans, which would ignore interests of Ukraine’s southeast.”
Semenovka_Incindiary bombs_Ukraine_2Lavrov stressed that only an equal-rights dialog, a complete consideration of interests of all of Ukraine’s regions without exceptions, and a dialog that also includes discussions about constitutional reform, may result in stability and an improvement of the situation in Ukraine.
The draft resolution expresses Russia’s concerns about the continuing violence and the killing of civilians, the destruction of infrastructure, residential areas, as well as attacks against convoys. Lavrov added that Russia does not speak about sending peace keepers and that Moscow still believes President Poroshenko has credibility.
Moscow does, however, demand an immediate and full investigation into the use of incendiary bombs and other prohibited weapons in Ukraine. Lavrov stressed “We are concerned to hear reports that the Ukrainian military forces use incendiary bombs and some other indiscriminate weapons. These reports should be investigated, immediately”.
Ch/L – nsnbc 12.06.2014
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