New York: Despite calls by the Dalai Lama and rights activists for an independent inquiry into the Chinese crackdown on protesting monks in Tibet, United Nations Security Council is unlikely to take any action or even discuss the issue.

The envoys of member-nations of the Council, which has often condemned human rights violations in member-states, have been very clear that the issue is not likely to come up during the meetings, and some have even questioned whether it posed a threat to international peace and security, a yardstick for Council action.

The Chinese diplomats said the issue did not come up in the Council yesterday, maintaining it does not pose threat to international and peace and security. It is a domestic issue, they asserted.

The Russian diplomats, including its UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, said the Council has nothing to do in Tibet and it is not something either Council or the United Nations could discuss or take action on.

China is a powerful veto-wielding member of the 15-member Council and Washington often needs its support to get the resolutions through the body.

Even though the Council did act after crackdown by Myanmar, asserting it posed threat to international peace as people were crossing over to neighbouring countries to escape the action, the case of Tibet looks to be different.
Source : PTI