UN Security Council votes on resolution to ban supply of helicopters to the Syrian government and to blacklist Syrian military commanders over accusations of toxic gas attacks at UN headquarters in New York City, US, February 28, 2017 (Photo:Reuters)
Cairo said it abstained from voting on a United Nations Security Council draft resolution that would have imposed sanctions on the Syrian government over the alleged use of chemical weapons in attacks during the country's six-year conflict, to wait for the outcome of investigations.
The country's foreign ministry said late on Wednesday that the resolution "jumped to conclusions" and that certain mechanisms governing the council's work should be abided by, so as "not to politicise the issue or level accusations without hard evidence."
Russia and China vetoed the resolution Tuesday, which was drafted by Britain, France and the United States.
The measure won nine votes in favour, while three countries - China, Russia and Bolivia - opposed it. Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Egypt abstained.
The ministry said that Egypt abstained to "wait for the outcomes of the probe" by the Security Council's Joint Investigative Mechanism, whose inquiry was extended for one year in November.
"It was normal for Egypt to abstain from voting…given its previous vote to extend the term of the international investigative mechanism for one year as the probe was not yet completed."
The ministry added that the draft resolution "jumped to conclusions that accuse Syrian regime figures and entities of involvement in using chemical weapons without providing evidence."
It underlined, however, that Egypt was among the first countries to call for de-arming the Middle East of nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction, saying the country "maintains the same stance" on this issue.
The international inquiry has already determined that Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks and that Islamic State militants were behind at least one using mustard gas. Chlorine's use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013.
The six-year civil war has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced more than 11 million.
Short link: