UNITED NATIONS, Jun 9 (AP): The UN Security Council refused to approve a statement Friday that would condemn remarks about Israel's impending destruction attributed to Iran's hard-line president because of objections from Indonesia, council diplomats said.
Qatar, the only Arab nation on the council, said it had no instructions, which also meant approval Friday was impossible, the diplomats said. The statement must be approved by all 15 council members.
France's UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, who called for condemnation of the remarks attributed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said it was unfortunate that the council could not act immediately. But he said he would try again Monday to get all 15 council members to approve the statement.
"At stake is ... a real question of principle. When the president of a country talks about the destruction of another country, a member of the United Nations, this is a serious issue," de La Sabliere said.
"His remark is very similar to the one he made in 2005 and the Security Council reacted in 2005," the French ambassador said. "I am confident that the council will react this time again."
In October 2005, the Iranian president caused outrage in the West when he said in a speech that Israel's "Zionist regime should be wiped off the map."
Security Council refuses to condemn Iran
FE Team | Published: June 10, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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