Security Council fails to adopt resolution on Syria sanctions over chemical weapons

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi (C, front) speaks after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution aiming to establish a sanctions regime over use of chemicals weapons in Syria at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The vote came when a new round of intra-Syrian peace talks in Geneva is underway.

Russian Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov said the draft was put to a vote based on a doctrine of western states in spite of the efforts taken in Geneva to settle the Syrian crisis.

"We see this as an attempt to retard and undermine the current political and diplomatic efforts," he said.

The draft resolution would also have banned supply of helicopters to the Syrian government. Safronkov said the measure would undermine counter-terrorism as well as humanitarian relief efforts in Syria.

Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, told the council that no one should hesitate to impose consequences for chemical weapon attacks.

She said the United States has already designated every person and every entity listed in the draft resolution for sanctions and vowed to work with the EU and other partners to push for similar sanctions as soon as possible.