- Title: Aleppo convoy 'war crime' could go to Security Council - deputy U.N. chief
- Date: 18th November 2016
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 18, 2016) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS BUILDING U.N. DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, JAN ELIASSON, ARRIVING FOR NEWS BRIEFING AND TAKING SEAT NEWS BRIEFING IN PROGRESS JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, JAN ELIASSON, SAYING: "We now have a three-person board of inquiry and they are in the area, I believe, and were already a couple of days, even last week I am sure, I think, and are working on it." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, JAN ELIASSON, SAYING: "It is a difficult mission, because it's a mission where access is very difficult, and we know of course that manipulation of evidence can take place, and evidence can disappear and so forth, but they will do with their absolutely best and they are instructed to do everything they can to find out the circumstances under which this horrible event occurred. An attack against a humanitarian convoy of this nature constitutes without any doubt a war crime, and it is absolutely crucial that we get as much information as possible." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, JAN ELIASSON, SAYING: "We hope really that they get, they get enough information to have a solid investigation presented as soon as possible." UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
- Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 14:02
- Keywords: U.N. Aleppo convoy Jan Eliasson Syria Security Council
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Government/Politics,United Nations
- Reuters ID: LVA00158Z2JWN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: If investigators identify who was to blame for the deadly September 19 attack on a U.N. aid convoy in Syria, the "war crime" could be brought to the Security Council, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said on Friday (November 18).
"We now have a three-person board of inquiry and they are in the area, I believe, and were already a couple of days, even last week I am sure, I think, and are working on it," Eliasson told reporters during a news briefing in Geneva.
A U.N. spokeswoman later told Reuters that investigators were not yet in the area but hope they would be soon.
"It is a difficult mission, because it's a mission where access is very difficult, and we know of course that manipulation of evidence can take place, and evidence can disappear and so forth, but they will do with their absolutely best and they are instructed to do everything they can to find out the circumstances under which this horrible event occurred. An attack against a humanitarian convoy of this nature constitutes without any doubt a war crime, and it is absolutely crucial that we get as much information as possible," he added.
The United States blamed two Russian war planes which it said were in the skies above the area at the time of the incident, but Moscow denies this and says the convoy caught fire.
The United Nations has officially referred only to an "attack", but Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he would establish an internal U.N. board of inquiry to investigate and urged all parties to fully cooperate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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