By Matthew Russell Lee, Partial Exclusive
UNITED
NATIONS, July 10, updated -- Russia late Tuesday afternoon circulated a draft
resolution on Syria to the other 14 Security Council members, Deputy
Permanent Representative Pankin told the press at 6 pm in front of
the Council.
Inner
City Press asked Pankin if Russia's proposal would cut the military
component of the UN Mission in Syria by 50%, as UN Peacekeeping chief
Herve Ladsous proposed in a closed door meeting of the Troop
Contributing Countries.
Now,
Inner City Press understands that Ladsous wanted to cut military by
75%, consistent with a Western push to even pull the Mission out.
Thus, Russia steps in with a resolution to keep the Mission in, with
"creative ambiguity" as Pankin put it, for at least the
next three months.
As
US Ambassador Susan Rice walked out as Pankin fielded questions from
a reporter for a paper in Lebanon, Inner City Press went over and
asked her what she thought of the Russian draft. She smiled and told
Inner City Press, exclusively it seems, that is is "insufficient."
Later
Inner City Press asked all and sundry about General Robert Mood
leaving. "Some say he doesn't want to renew his contract,"
came one answer. "He is being pushed out," others say, "as
being too straight, not pro-West enough."
As
Inner City Press has noted, Mood would be good for this and other
reasons as a head of UN Peacekeeping. Watch this site.
Update: Inner City Press asked July's Council president Nestor Osorio, what do you think of the Russian draft? He pointed to what he was holding and said, I am studying it.
One non-Western (and of course, non-Russian) member of the Council, when Inner City Press asked about the draft said, "I love it."
Update of 6:59 pm -- another non-Western Council member came and told Inner City Press, of the Russian draft, it is "very good, very well timed."
