A draft resolution at the United
Nations on seizing and destroying boats used by human-smugglers
to try to slow migrant flows was being reviewed by Russia and
China, a UN source said Tuesday.
Those two permanent members of the UN Security Council were
said to have major concerns about military actions and could
veto such a resolution.
The draft text speaks of a "mandate for an operation under
the umbrella of the European Union" and the UN.
The operation could include the use of force in order to
"inspect, seize, and neutralize boats that are suspected of
being used for the smuggling of migrants".
The controversial measure was approved on Monday by
European foreign and defense ministers, who agreed to use their
naval forces to stop boats used by human smugglers from North
Africa.
The plan would reportedly see European navies take migrants
back to African ports - an apparent breach of the international
'non-refoulement' law - and also destroy the boats that carried
them.
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