Read the report -- that is the one thing delegates on both sides of a closed-door debate on Syria agreed on Friday when assessing the Arab League's report on the situation.
The draft resolution based on the report calls for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down but not for regime change. What is the difference? The French ambassador says the Arab League will clear that up on Tuesday.
The text of the draft resolution reportedly calls for a "political transition" in Syria and "further measures" if that transition is not performed.
The ambiguity of the "measures" caused Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin to voice his concern days ago since similarly vague language was used to justify the NATO bombing campaign over Libya.
French and English delegates say that UN-sanctioned military action is out of the question and not in the draft. Regardless Churkin said Friday he would not vote for the text as it currently stands. He fell short of threatening to use Russia's veto power on the Council however.
Ambassador Churkin did not speak at the stakeout. The Syrian ambassador however said that the draft resolution being debated by Council now isn't even based on the Arab League observer mission's report. Instead he said it's based on different documentation provided by Doha.
Ja'Afari compared the language used by Western powers in the draft to that used in the days of "Lawrence of Arabia."
He also called it remarkable that the Security Council would give such credence to the Arab League's report since he adds the Council has ignored the Arab League's stance on the Israel / Palestinian conflict for decades.
