ALBA rejects UN Human Rights Council condemnation of Syria

Geneva, Switzerland (TDN) —- Even as the Arab league has moved to approve an unprecedented set of economic sanctions on Syria to penalize President Bashar al-Assad's regime for a bloody crackdown on protesters, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) block of countries have expressed unequivocal support for the Assad regime.

Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA)

At a recent session held in Geneva by the Human Rights Council to discuss Syria, Head of the Ecuadorian delegation and Representative of ALBA to the meeting said " the policy of pressures and sanctions complicates the crisis, it would not help resolve it."

He went on to condemn the political and media campaign against Syria, saying that this campaign aims at justifying the US and western countries' endeavors to interfere in Syria's domestic affairs which is totally rejected by ALBA.

At the end of the meeting, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution condemning Syria for "gross violations that may amount to crimes against humanity". It also established the new post of a special human rights investigator on Syria.

Of the 47 members in the Geneva-based Council, 37 countries voted for a resolution "strongly condemning the continued widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities". Six countries abstained, while four countries- Russia, Cuba, China and Ecuador acting on behalf of ALBA - voted against the resolution.

ALBA’s position did not come as a surprise since during a high level ALBA visit to Syria in October, members of the ALBA delegation stressed that their countries will forever stand by Syria in all international circles, saying that they saw a big difference between what was being broadcast by a number of misleading channels and the real situation in the country.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro Moros said at the time ''We conveyed to Syria and the Syrian people and President Bashar al-Assad, on behalf of ALBA countries' leaders, our genuine solidarity with Syria and rejection of all forms of Western and imperialistic interference in the internal affairs of this country. The Syrian people have the right to solve their own problems.''

He went on to say "we can't stand arms folded while we are watching how the imperialism is trying to exploit the situations and the internal problems in Syria to serve its interests and to destabilize this country."

" We unanimously decided to support the Syrian people to overcome their crisis and problems…In the first place, we will convey a true image about what is taking place in Syria…The media, psychological and political war against Syria must stop, and we condemn this war," he said.

ALBA Alliance comprises Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.