The UN Security Council’s Role in the Syrian Crisis: Pain killer in Low Politics and Poor Record in High Politics (2011-2018)

Authors

1 Department of Political Science, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 M.A. student, Department of Political Science, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

The Arab Spring’s wave arrived in Syria on 26 January 2011 and the unrest flared up on 15 March 2011 in the city of Daraa, 58 kilometers south of Damascus. Since then, Syria has been immersed in a civil war. The Security Council adopted different measures to contain this crisis. The main objective of the present research is to analyze the performance of the United Nations Security Council in tackling the Syrian crisis. The findings of the present research imply that the Security Council, in its role as a conflict moderator, has shown a positive performance particularly in such areas as instituting ceasefire, deploying peacekeeping forces, promoting humanitarian activities, facilitating the political transition process, securing the territorial integrity of the country, assisting the refugees and controlling Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal. Even so, this body, due to the veto power of the permanent members, the complex nature of the crisis, and the conflictual interests of Russia and the United States and regional actors, has not been spectacularly successful in the termination of the armed conflict and enforcing peace. In order to explicate the matter, a descriptive-analytical method based on qualitative content analysis has been utilized and the library, internet-based resources, and United Nations documents have been used.

Keywords

References

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    1. B) Selected UN Documents

     

    UNDoc: S/RES/2249, (20 November 2015)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2254, (18 December 2015)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2319, (17 November 2016)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2043, (21 April 2012)

    UNDoc: SC/10714, (19 JULY 2012)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2254, (18 December 2015)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2118, (27 September 2013)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2191, (17 December 2014)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2268, (26 February 2016)

    UNDoc: S/PRST, (3 August 2011)

    UNDoc: S/PRST, (21 March 2012)

    UNDoc: S/PRST, (6 March 2012)

    UNDoc: S/PRST, (12 February 2013)

    UNDoc: S/PRST, (24 April 2015)

    UNDoc: S/PRST, (17 August 2015)

    UNDoc: S/PV.6627, (4 October 2011)

    UNDoc: S/PV.6711, (4 February 2012)

    UNDoc: S/PV.7893, (28 February 2017)

    UNDoc: S/PV.7893, (28 February 2017)

    UNDoc: S/2017/962, (16 November 2017)

    UNDoc: S/RES/2401 (24 February 2018)

International Journal of New Political Economy
Volume 2, Issue 2
2021
Pages 169-199

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 June 2021
  • Accept Date: 25 June 2021
  • First Publish Date: 25 June 2021
  • Publish Date: 01 October 2021

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