U.S.-backed draft resolution called for establishing an independent investigative mechanism to conduct on-site inspections to find out who used chemical weapons.12 members of the 15-member council voted for the resolution on Tuesday, but Russia vetoed it.
Russian resolution called for the launching of a probe which would require the UNSC to attribute responsibility also failed.
The latest resolution to fail also was a Russian-sponsored draft backing an Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) fact-finding mission at the site of the alleged attack in Douma. The draft received five votes in favor (Russia, China, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and Bolivia), four votes against (the US, the UK, France and Poland) and six abstentions.
"The United States is again trying to mislead the international community and is taking yet one more step toward confrontation," said Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said, "History will record that, on this day, Russia chose protecting a monster over the lives of the Syrian people."
An alleged chemical weapons attack hit the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta region in the suburban area near Damascus late on Saturday, reportedly killing at least 60 people and wounding more than 1,000 others.
The Western countries blamed the incident on the Syrian government. Damascus rejected the accusations as “chemical fabrications,” which were made by the terrorists themselves in a bid to halt pro-government forces’ advances.
Damascus said that the so-called Jaish al-Islam Takfiri terrorist group, which has dominant presence in Douma, was repeating the accusations “in order to accuse the Syrian Arab army, in a blatant attempt to hinder the Army’s advance.”
