Iran and Syria on Wednesday blocked the adoption of a Saudi-proposed resolution in the UN General Assembly, calling for global co-operation to counter the coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout, diplomats said.
The Saudi resolution largely reflected the conclusions of a March 26 summit of the G20, which the kingdom currently chairs.
A Russian-proposed text on the pandemic was also blocked on Wednesday, diplomats said.
It sought a commitment from UN member states "to face global challenges as good neighbours, refraining from implementing protectionist and discriminatory measures inconsistent with the World Trade Organisation rules".
It was blocked by the US and several European countries.
On April 3, a Russian draft resolution proposing international sanctions be lifted while the world fights the pandemic was rejected.
Besides the US and EU countries, the latest Russian move was also blocked by two key US allies, Israel and South Korea.
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A man wearing a protective mask walks past a mural depicting a nurse in Shoreditch, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain. REUTERS -
A woman observes two robots that carry home orders, in Medellin, Colombia,. EPA -
A man is tested for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a Los Angeles fire department testing station for the homeless on Skid Row, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. REUTERS -
A man sits next to a fountain at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park in Hong Kong on April 21, 2020. Hong Kong has reduced growth of confirmed COVID-19 cases to single digits in recent days, but city authorities say they are not taking any risks. Chief executive Carrie Lam said social distancing measures and some business restrictions would continue for another two weeks until at least May 7. AFP -
A health worker shows quick tests for COVID-19 with negative results at a drive-through in the parking lot of the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil. The Brazilian government started a mass testing program to improve control of the new coronavirus disease and plan how social isolation will be lifted. AFP -
A teacher cleans and disinfects chairs and tables at the the Phoenix Gymnasium secondary school in Dortmund, western Germany. Students preparing for the Abitur high school graduation with exams taking place in May are allowed to turn back to school from April 23, 2020. AFP -
People stand on designated spots to maintain social distancing at a market in Manila. AFP -
Members of the Myanmar Red Cross carry a dead body of a driver from a boat in Sittwe, Rakhine State killed while delivering test kits for COVID-19 coronavirus. A Myanmar government health worker was injured and his driver killed when their United Nations-marked vehicle was ambushed as they were carrying COVID-19 test samples in conflict-ridden Rakhine state. AFP -
Customers wearing face masks as a precautionary measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus sit in a cafe, which has masking tape on every other table to enforce social distancing, in Hong Kong. AFP -
A woman wearing a protective face mask rides a scooter across a nearly empty 3rd Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, New York, U.S. REUTERS -
An employee wearing a face mask sits next to a GE Carescape R860 ventilator in an assembly and testing area at a GE Healthcare manufacturing facility during the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. REUTERS -
Workers wearing protective equipment are seen on the grounds of the Central Jamia Mosque Ghamkol Sharif, a temporary morgue set up at a Mosque as the spread of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continues, Birmingham, Britain. REUTERS
The General Assembly cannot meet in New York because of the global health crisis, so in late March it came up with a new way of considering resolutions.
When a text is proposed, after a waiting period, if no country objects it is classified as being approved.
If there are objections, the text is defeated.
Unlike votesd before the pandemic, which required a majority, this new system effectively gives all 193 UN members veto power over a given text.
Security Council begins push for pandemic ceasefire
The UN Security Council on Wednesday began work on a draft resolution co-authored by Tunisia and France urging "enhanced co-ordination" and a general ceasefire in conflicts amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The three-page draft was delivered to the 15 members of the Security Council.
It calls for "all parties to armed conflicts to engage immediately in a durable humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days".
But it exempts military operations against ISIS, Al Qaeda, Jabhat Al Nusra and all "terrorist" groups listed by the Security Council.
Discussions will begin soon after the members have given their first comments on the text, diplomats said.
"There will be no negotiations as such," said one diplomat, adding that a vote could take place early next week.
A decisive push for the text could come at a video conference of the leaders of the five permanent members, which may be held on Friday, Russian media reported.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a global ceasefire last month as the world fought the pandemic that has forced more than half of humanity behind closed doors.
Western nations have buckled under the strain, with hospitals struggling to cope and the world facing unprecedented economic fallout.
The crisis has fuelled fears for millions of people living in conflict zones such as Yemen and Afghanistan, developing countries with healthcare systems that have already suffered from violence and poverty.
Any break in the fighting could prove pivotal as they struggle to cope with outbreaks, allowing vital aid to reach those in need.
