China demands arms embargo exit framework for Somalia, abstains from extension vote

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China demands arms embargo exit framework for Somalia, abstains from extension vote

WASHINGTON (HOL) - China has demanded that the three decades old arms embargo on Somalia be pegged on milestones which the country can be judged upon instead of a blanket ban and year-in-year-out extensions.

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WASHINGTON (HOL) - China has demanded that the three decades old arms embargo on Somalia be pegged on milestones which the country can be judged upon instead of a blanket ban and year-in-year-out extensions.

While abstaining from a one-year extension of the arms embargo, the Chinese representative at the UN said the UN Security Council had failed to ‘to recognize Somalia’s strides toward reconstruction and assuming responsibility for security in the country.’

Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Abukar Osman told HOL China demanded a graduated framework be set for Somalia to follow in order to guide it in meeting the threshold for lifting the arms embargo rather than just extending without question.

Russia also abstained from the vote questioning the rationale for inclusion of Djibouti and Eritrea noting the two countries ‘no longer posed threat to international peace’.

Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman (Baale), Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the UN

The UNSC resolution indicated that the Council ‘will continue to follow developments towards the normalization of relations between Eritrea and Djibouti.”

"The remaining points of contention between these two countries can be settled through bilateral diplomacy,” Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Anna Evstigneeva

On the fight against piracy, China questioned its rationale noting some countries were using the anti-piracy efforts to pursue business interests.

He said ships on the Somali waters are manned by heavily armed forces who ‘claim to be defending the ships but putting to risk the lives of Somali fisherfolk.’

Other members, Osman said, demanded clarity on the war against piracy in the Somali waters.