United Nations, New York, USA, June 26 2015 – Press Conference on Stopping Barrel Bombs attacks by the Syrian Government. Speakers: French Ambassador Francois Delattre, Ambassador Roman Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain and there guests Nadim Houry, of Human Rights Watch, Bassam Al -Ahmad of the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria and Raed Saleh, Syrian refugee
On the Photo: (FROM LEFT): Raed Saleh, Roman Oyarzun Marches, Francois Delattre, Nadim Houry, Bassam Al -Ahmad
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
A UN Security Council member said today that the international community was saying to the Syrian government,
“with a single voice: ‘stop the barrel bombing’.”
After an informal council meeting, called to hear witness and expert testimony about the war, Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain said the large meeting room was packed.
United Nations, New York, USA, June 26 2015 – Press Conference on Stopping Barrel Bombs attacks by the Syrian Government by French Ambassador Francois Delattre, Ambassador Roman Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain and there guests Nadim Houry, of Human Rights Watch, Bassam Al -Ahmad of the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria and Raed Saleh, Syrian refugee
On the Photo: (FROM LEFT): Francois Delattre, Roman Oyarzun Marches
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
He said,
“And why did we have a full house? Well it is very simple: Because the international community is saying with a single voice, ‘stop barrel bombs’.”
French Ambassador Francois Delattre told a press conference after the meeting,
“The indiscriminate attacks are unfortunately led by all the parties of the conflict but the massive utilization of barrel bombs by the regime is responsible for the majority of the civilian victims. This primitive method of warfare is unnatural, indiscriminate and inhuman.”
United Nations, New York, USA, June 26 2015 – AFTER the Press Conference on Stopping Barrel Bombs attacks by the Syrian Government, Ambassador Francois Delattre Emplaning to the UN Press corp. why his government was censuring the media on a OPEN UN meeting by asking them to stop filming.
On the Photo: Ambassador Francois Delattre
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
Nadim Houry, of Human Rights Watch who testified in the so-called “Arria formula” meeting of the council said his group demanded sanctions, not words. 
United Nations, New York, USA, June 26 2015 – Press Conference on Stopping Barrel Bombs attacks by the Syrian Government by French Ambassador Francois Delattre, Ambassador Roman Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain and there guests Nadim Houry, of Human Rights Watch, Bassam Al -Ahmad of the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria and Raed Saleh, Syrian refugee
On the Photo: Nadim Houry
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
He said,
“What we are expecting, however, are not more words. We are expecting follow up measures. We would like to see sanctions being imposed on those ordering and actually deploying barrel bombs and other indiscrete attacks. And we would also like to see from civil society an arms embargo to all parties that are conducting indiscriminate attacks in a systematic way.”
According to the council web page, the Arria meetings are,
“very informal, confidential gatherings which enable Security Council members to have a frank and private exchange of views.”
United Nations, New York, USA, June 26 2015 – Press Conference on Stopping Barrel Bombs attacks by the Syrian Government by French Ambassador Francois Delattre, Ambassador Roman Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain and there guests Nadim Houry, of Human Rights Watch, Bassam Al -Ahmad of the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria and Raed Saleh, Syrian refugee
On the Photo: Raed Saleh, Bassam Al -Ahmad
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
Expert witnesses to regularly scheduled meetings need to be formally approved by the council.
Bassam Al -Ahmad of the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria:
Bassam Al -Ahmad of the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria:
“We see the use of new types or developed explosive barrels, which is a cylinder of gas used locally to cook for the children, and we are also seeing now new types of explosive barrels loaded with chlorine gas.”
Raed Saleh, Syrian refugee
“We call on these countries to act outside of the Security Council, because as long as the issue is inside the Security Council there will be a State called Russia, which is a supporter of the Syria Regime politically, economically, and militarily. It provides it (the regime) with fuel for its planes; it provides it with parts for its helicopters which in their part drop the barrel bombs. Therefore it (Russia) is a culprit in this, in the blood of the Syrian people. It will not stand by the Syrian people because it is a partner in the blood being spilt in Syria.”
The process is named after Ambassador Diego Arria of Venezuela, who, as the representative of Venezuela on the Council initiated the practice in 1992.
Source: UNTV, EuropaNewswire Photos