File Photo: Lakhdar Brahimi, UN and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, speaks during a news conference after closed meetings in the U.N. Security Council
Nearly 60 countries are denouncing the widespread impunity in Syria and urging the United Nations Security Council to refer the war to the International Criminal Court for investigation of possible crimes against humanity and war crimes.
They issued a joint appeal to all 193 U.N. member states Monday to show their support by co-sponsoring a French-drafted resolution that would authorize the world's permanent war crimes tribunal to investigate allegations of heinous crimes by the Syrian government, pro-government militias, and armed opposition groups.
France has called for a vote Thursday and Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has already said Moscow - Syria's closest ally - opposes the resolution, which means an almost certain veto. China, which has joined Russia in vetoing three previous Syria resolutions, could make it a fourth double veto.