UNITED NATIONS -
Russia accused the United States on Monday of blocking a bid by the UN
Security Council to condemn the escalating conflict between Israel and
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and said other council members were
filibustering the issue.
Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said he
was prepared to introduce a resolution - a stronger move by the council
than a statement - to call for an end to the violence and show support
for regional and international efforts to broker peace.
Churkin
said he would draft a resolution if agreement could not be reached among
the 15 council members on a statement, which has to be approved by
consensus. A resolution is passed when it receives nine votes in favor
and no vetoes by the five permanent council members - Russia, China,
Britain, the United States and France.
"One member of the
Security Council, I'm sure you can guess which, indicated ... they will
not be prepared to go along with any reaction of the Security Council,"
said Churkin, making a thinly veiled reference to the United States.
"Somehow, allegedly, that could hurt the current efforts carried out by Egypt and the region," he said.
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