| Russia and China veto sanctions against Zimbabwe |
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Britain and the US described the Russian and Chinese veto of United Nations sanctions on Zimbabwe as "incomprehensible" and "raising questions" about Russia's reliability as a G8 partner July 12.- Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Friday that he was "very disappointed that the U.N. Security Council should have failed to pass a strong and clear resolution on Zimbabwe"."It'll appear incomprehensible to the people of Zimbabwe that Russia, which committed itself at the G8 to take further steps including introducing financial and other sanctions, should stand in the way of Security Council action. Nor will they understand the Chinese vote," Mr Miliband said. Nine countries out of the 15-member security council voted for the resolution calling for an arms embargo on Zimbabwe, financial and travel restrictions on President Robert Mugabe and 13 other officials, and to authorise a United Nations special envoy for the southern African nation. Russia and China exercised their right as permanent members of the Security Council to veto the resolution. The Group of Eight rich nations, known as the G8 which includes Britain and Russia, agreed on Tuesday to impose sanctions against Zimbabwe's leadership because of violence during the widely condemned re-election of President Robert Mugabe. Editors note: South Africa, Libya and Vietnam also voted against the resolution while Indonesia abstained. |
