Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

This week the members of the UN Security Council started another round of discussions on North Africa and the Middle East. Australia was gravely disappointed by the veto by Russia and China of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to violence and supporting the Arab League peace plan. The Security Council has again been considering a possible resolution on Syria. Differences within the council, however, remain wide. But every new outrage that comes to light in Syria must galvanise the council's will to exercise its international peace and security authority under the UN charter. Australia will continue to urge this.

Yesterday I spoke to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and congratulated her on her efforts to build Security Council resolve. She said:

… the United Nations believes firmly in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member-states, but we do not believe that sovereignty demands that this council stand silent when governments massacre their own people …

I also spoke to British Foreign Secretary William Hague who is no less— (Time expired)