Group items tagged

Lebanon joined the 15-member consensus required to pass a presidential statement, but then “disassociated” itself from the result. The statement “does not help in addressing the current situation,” said Caroline Ziade, Lebanon’s deputy permanent representative, in a widely anticipated move given that Syria has held sway over the Lebanese government for decades.

Although the statement also called for halting attacks against state institutions, a step demanded by various countries including Brazil and India, diplomats said the statement also increased pressure on the Syrian government to stop deploying tanks against its citizens.