By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 19 -- After the Gaza consultations called at noon by Russia in the UN Security Council ended, Russian Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin came out to explain.
He slammed "one member" of the Council for saying it will not agree to the draft press statement Morocco introduced "as early as Thursday night." He said that the country, which is clearly the United States, justified its position as an attempt not to undermine moves in the region to de-escalate the situation.
Churkin questioned how the Moroccan draft press statement could undermine such efforts, adding that Russia might introduce a Security Council resolution, and wants a ministerial meeting of the Quartet.
Inner City Press asked Churkin, if the same country blocking the press statement is a member of the Quarter, what could the Quarter accomplish?
Churkin replied that the Quartet shouldn't have been inactive so long, that its inaction may have contributed to the situation. He said that another Council member arrived Monday with mere oral amendments to the Moroccan draft. He called this a "laid-back approach."
Germany's Permanent Representative Peter Wittig, when he left the Council, emphasized that any statement should also call for stopping the rockets from Gaza. He said that his country has proposed amendments to the Moroccan draft. It is not known, yet, if these were in writing or merely oral.
After the Security Council finishes it pre-scheduled debate on piracy, around 6 pm on Monday, Churkin said the Council will have consultations again on the Moroccan draft. Watch this site.
