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| Russia should be investigated for Syrian war crimes, says Boris Johnson | Russia should be investigated for Syrian war crimes, says Boris Johnson |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia should be investigated for war crimes in the Syrian city of Aleppo and risks becoming a pariah nation, Boris Johnson has said, claiming all the evidence shows Russian forces were responsible for deliberately bombing a UN humanitarian convoy. | Russia should be investigated for war crimes in the Syrian city of Aleppo and risks becoming a pariah nation, Boris Johnson has said, claiming all the evidence shows Russian forces were responsible for deliberately bombing a UN humanitarian convoy. |
| The British foreign secretary said “the mills of justice grind slowly, but they grind small” as he predicted those responsible for war crimes in Syria would eventually face charges before the international criminal court. | The British foreign secretary said “the mills of justice grind slowly, but they grind small” as he predicted those responsible for war crimes in Syria would eventually face charges before the international criminal court. |
| Speaking at the end of a three-hour emergency Commons debate on the Syrian crisis, Johnson appeared to reject no-fly zones over areas of the country, saying: “We cannot commit to a no-fly zone unless we are prepared to confront and perhaps shoot down planes or helicopters that violate that zone. We need to think very carefully about the consequences.” | Speaking at the end of a three-hour emergency Commons debate on the Syrian crisis, Johnson appeared to reject no-fly zones over areas of the country, saying: “We cannot commit to a no-fly zone unless we are prepared to confront and perhaps shoot down planes or helicopters that violate that zone. We need to think very carefully about the consequences.” |
| But, he added, he was sympathetic to those who made the call, and wanted to work through the options with British allies. | But, he added, he was sympathetic to those who made the call, and wanted to work through the options with British allies. |
| Johnson said he believed “there could be advantage in ICC (international criminal court) procedures” and that it would be “a terrible terrible failure” if prosecutions were not made. | Johnson said he believed “there could be advantage in ICC (international criminal court) procedures” and that it would be “a terrible terrible failure” if prosecutions were not made. |
| “I’m personally very attracted to the idea of getting these people to come before the International Criminal Court. That’s certainly something I would like to pursue,” he said. | “I’m personally very attracted to the idea of getting these people to come before the International Criminal Court. That’s certainly something I would like to pursue,” he said. |
| In a warning to those responsible, he said: “Those who are conducting this bombing and in my view culpable of these crimes should realise that the mills of justice grind slowly but they grind small.” | In a warning to those responsible, he said: “Those who are conducting this bombing and in my view culpable of these crimes should realise that the mills of justice grind slowly but they grind small.” |
| He called for an investigation into attacks on hospitals, which he said were being targeted with such frequency and precision that it was “difficult to avoid the conclusion that this must be policy”, amounting to a war crime. | He called for an investigation into attacks on hospitals, which he said were being targeted with such frequency and precision that it was “difficult to avoid the conclusion that this must be policy”, amounting to a war crime. |
| Referring to attack on the UN humanitarian convoy, he said: “All the available evidence therefore points to Russian responsibility for the atrocity and I trust the UN board of inquiry will establish what happened.” | Referring to attack on the UN humanitarian convoy, he said: “All the available evidence therefore points to Russian responsibility for the atrocity and I trust the UN board of inquiry will establish what happened.” |
| The Labour frontbench also rejected no-fly zones and, in a briefing sent to all its MPs, refused to declare that Russia had been bombing innocent civilians, arguing that war crimes could only have been committed by Russia if it was shown that the targeting was deliberate. | The Labour frontbench also rejected no-fly zones and, in a briefing sent to all its MPs, refused to declare that Russia had been bombing innocent civilians, arguing that war crimes could only have been committed by Russia if it was shown that the targeting was deliberate. |
| The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, emphasised the need for the 1,000 jihadi fighters linked to al-Nusra in Aleppo to be escorted out of the city, as had already happened in Homs. Her emphasis on the Russian demand for al-Nusra to leave Aleppo angered Syrian support groups. | The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, emphasised the need for the 1,000 jihadi fighters linked to al-Nusra in Aleppo to be escorted out of the city, as had already happened in Homs. Her emphasis on the Russian demand for al-Nusra to leave Aleppo angered Syrian support groups. |
| Johnson said that as long as Russia was still bombing Aleppo, it was unrealistic to expect the fighters to leave, even under the supervision of the the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. He said the ruthless Russian bombardment was “driving people to do anything to fight or resist the Assad regime”. | Johnson said that as long as Russia was still bombing Aleppo, it was unrealistic to expect the fighters to leave, even under the supervision of the the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. He said the ruthless Russian bombardment was “driving people to do anything to fight or resist the Assad regime”. |
| Johnson called for demonstrations outside the Russian embassy and asked why leftwing protest groups seemed to lack the outrage over Russian conduct in Syria. “I would certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy. Where is the Stop the War coalition?” | Johnson called for demonstrations outside the Russian embassy and asked why leftwing protest groups seemed to lack the outrage over Russian conduct in Syria. “I would certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy. Where is the Stop the War coalition?” |
| He insisted he was not leading an anti-Russia campaign, pointing out the US had done its utmost to work with the Russian foreign ministry to bring about a ceasefire. The US “had concluded rightly that Russia was determined to help President Bashar al-Assad’s onslaught regardless of any agreement”. | He insisted he was not leading an anti-Russia campaign, pointing out the US had done its utmost to work with the Russian foreign ministry to bring about a ceasefire. The US “had concluded rightly that Russia was determined to help President Bashar al-Assad’s onslaught regardless of any agreement”. |
| He added: “If Russia continues on its current path I believe that this great country is in danger of becoming a pariah nation, and if President [Vladimir] Putin’s strategy is to restore the greatness and the glory of Russia, then I believe he risks his ambition turning to ashes in the face of international contempt for what is happening in Syria.” | He added: “If Russia continues on its current path I believe that this great country is in danger of becoming a pariah nation, and if President [Vladimir] Putin’s strategy is to restore the greatness and the glory of Russia, then I believe he risks his ambition turning to ashes in the face of international contempt for what is happening in Syria.” |
| Johnson said he was prepared to study French proposals that the five permanent members of the UN security council should be prepared to voluntarily waive their veto rights in the cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity. | Johnson said he was prepared to study French proposals that the five permanent members of the UN security council should be prepared to voluntarily waive their veto rights in the cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity. |
| He also claimed there was “a certain fry-ability” in the European resolve to impose economic sanctions on Russia, pointing out that many Europeans were reliant on Russian gas. |