​​​​​​​US veto against a resolution that does not oblige states to return foreign mercenaries to their countries

The text drawn up by Indonesia, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, was approved by the other 14 members of the Security Council with the exception of the United States, which voted against it.

The United States used the veto on an issue related to the fight against terrorism file, and this decision, which has so far been the subject of unanimity among Westerners and in international forums, was shocked, reflecting an increasing US resentment toward the Europeans, especially after weeks of slapping Washington in the Security Council.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft said that the Indonesian decision to strengthen international action against terrorism "was worse than no resolution at all."

Commenting on the text that does not include a reference to the first essential step of returning foreign mercenaries to their country of origin or country of nationalities, Kraft stressed that it fails to strengthen the fight against terrorism, adding that the United States therefore refuses to participate in a malicious farce insofar as it is deliberately omitting.

For his part, the Indonesian ambassador to the United Nations, Dian Triansyah Dajani, regretted during a press conference for not agreeing to the "important decision" that would have made "the world safer for us all," which had the support of the majority of the council members.

He explained that Indonesia has sought to achieve a consensus, adhering to "a greater vision that is to be united in our struggle against terrorism."

The draft resolution was urging members of the Security Council to reintegrate former foreign mercenaries into their societies after serving any sentences issued against them in the countries where they are detained, and to provide special assistance to their wives and children, knowing that thousands of these jihadists are imprisoned in Syria and Iraq.

Washington, which enjoyed the support of Moscow during the negotiations to include the term "repatriation" in the text, has always stressed the necessity of returning foreign mercenaries detained in Syria and Iraq to their home countries.

However, the Europeans and some Arab countries oppose this position, preferring to be tried and served their sentences in the countries in which they committed their crimes.

In Europe, several countries, especially France and Belgium, have adopted a policy based on studying "each case" to return some of the children of foreign mercenaries detained in the Middle East, and possibly some of their wives.

T/S

ANHA