On February 4 China and Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution on Syria. The resolution was based upon an Arab League peace plan. The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, stated that his country wanted an end to the bloodshed but felt that the resolution sent an unbalanced message to Syria and did not call for an end to rebel attacks, nor did it take into account what he termed the association of the rebel groups with extremists. Ambassador Churkin further stated that Russia was committed to a solution to the Syrian crisis but said that peaceful settlement was undermined by the advocacy of regime change by certain influential members of the international community.  All other thirteen members of the Security Council voted in favor of the resolution and strongly condemned its veto.

The United Nations and the Arab League called upon Libya to halt its armed aggression against the Libyan people who have been demonstrating.  Both organizations scheduled meetings on the situation in Libya for Tuesday, February 22.  The UN meeting would be a session of the UN Security Council.

The president of Angola finds himself in disagreement with the United Nations and has called for new elections in Ivory Coast.  Angolan diplomacy is on the rise. Check back with CNSIS for more details in the days to come.