by Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council on Monday approved a foreign security mission to Haiti, a year after the Caribbean island requested help to fight violent gangs who have taken near control from the capital Port-au-Prince.
Furthermore, the fifteen members of the Council also expanded the arms embargo so that it includes all illegal groups in the country. Haitian officials have said in the past that the weapons used by the gangs appear to come mainly from the United States.
A draft resolution presented by the United States and Ecuador was approved to authorize an international security support mission to take “all necessary measures” – the phrase used for the use of force.
Thirteen Council members voted in favor of the resolution. China and Russia abstained; diplomats indicated that they were reluctant to the idea of widespread use of force.
(Reporting Michelle Nichols, with Sarah Morland; French version Jean Terzian)
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