MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia vetoed the resolution which is aimed at condemning the killings as a crime of genocide earlier in the day. Ten members of the Council voted in favor of the document, while China, Angola, Nigeria and Venezuela abstained.
"We regret that Britain insisted on a vote, despite our repeated warnings and concerns expressed to the UNSC from the Balkan region regarding the consequences of adopting the draft," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"It is clear that the document, as it was presented, was unacceptable due to its political motivation, lack of balance, and its harmful nature in regard to the national reconciliation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkan region as a whole," the statement reads.
In July 1995, according to UN estimates, over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed in the Bosnian city of Srebrenica after the city had been taken by units of the Army of Republika Srpska.
Taking the floor before the vote on the draft resolution, Churkin asked to honor the memory of those killed in Srebrenica 20 years ago by a moment of silence.
"In the absence of consensus on this issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina itself — as you know, the parliament of this country could not reach a consensus, neither did the members of the BiH presidium — adopting the resolution in its current form in the UN Security Council would be completely counterproductive, and would aggravate the situation in the region," Churkin said.
Churkin also noted that the proposed project contained attempts to put political pressure on the Republika Srpska and Serbia.
"We are convinced that the role of the Security Council is to strengthen the foundations of the international peace and security, not undermine them," Churkin stated.
On Sunday, the presidents of both the Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Serbia asked Russia to veto the adoption of the resolution in the UN Security Council. Republika Srpska's President Milorad Dodik warned that the resolution would bring about the disintegration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, if it was adopted.
