UN condemns terrorist oil sales from Syria and Iraq

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned any sale of oil from Syria or Iraq by terrorist groups and has reminded countries that purchasing illegally obtained oil violates UN sanctions.

A presidential statement approved by all 15 council members targets two terrorist groups already subject to UN sanctions: Jabhat al-Nusra, one of the most powerful Syrian rebel groups; and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

Russia submitted a draft statement to the Security Council in late June that would ban crude oil sales by terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq, and potentially sanction anyone that does business with them. The measure ‘strongly condemns any engagement in direct or indirect trade of oil from Syria involving terrorist groups, and reiterate that such engagement constitutes financial support for entities designated by the Security Council 1267/1989 Committee as terrorist’.

The statement additionally call on member states to take ‘necessary measures’ to stop ‘nationals, entities and individuals’ from engaging in transactions linked to non-state actors in the oil industry in Syria, and addresses concern that oilfields or infrastructure controlled by terrorist organizations ‘could generate material income for terrorist, which would support their recruitment efforts, including of foreign terrorist fighters, and strengthen their operational capabilities’.

Although the original draft only mentions Syria, Iraq was added during negotiations on the final text.

Presidential statements are below resolutions in that they are not legally binding, however they do become part of the Security Council’s official record. The presidential statement cites several previous resolutions, including one in January reaffirming that all countries are required to prevent the financing of terrorism and one in June of sanctions against Al-Qaida. 

Edited from various sources by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/29072014/un-condemns-terrorist-oil-sales-1023/