UNGA adopts resolution on Syria, India abstains

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly adopted a Saudi-drafted resolution on Syria that expressed 'grave concern' at the escalating violence in the country but India was among the 31 nations that abstained.

The 193-member General Assembly passed the resolution that denounced Syria's crackdown on its people and demanded that the country lockdown its chemical and biological weapons.

The resolution also deplored 'the failure of the Security Council to agree on measures to ensure the compliance of Syrian authorities with its decisions'.

The resolution got 133 votes in favour, while 12 countries voted against and 31 countries, including India abstained.

An earlier draft of the resolution had provisions that demanded regime change, called on President Bashar Al-Assad to resign and asked countries to place sanctions against the country for the violence and killing.

India was not in favour of these provisions and a senior member of Indian delegation had said that officials 'worked over time' to get these demands dropped from the resolution.

Others countries such as Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa too were not in support of the provisions demanding regime change and sanctions.

The Indian Ambassador to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri had also held several rounds of discussion with his Saudi and Qatari counterparts over the provisions of regime change and sanctions in the resolution.

Unlike a UN Security Council resolution, the General Assembly resolution is not legally binding. It is only moral and symbolic in nature.

The resolution strongly condemns 'the continued widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities and pro-governmental militias'.

Addressing the 193-member General Assembly before the vote on the resolution, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the violence and acts of brutality being reported in Syrian cities may constitute "crimes against humanity or war crimes".