NEW YORK, UN. Nov 20 (Interfax) - The Japan-sponsored draft resolution on a technical extension of the mandate of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) - United Nations (UN) Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) for inquiries into instances of chemical weapons use in Syria has nothing to do with the fate of its concern, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, said.
"This step has nothing to do with the fate of the mechanism's concern, as everybody knows that it is concluding its work today," Nebenzya said, following the voting on the draft document.
Russia was unable to support Japan's suggestion "for a brief, technical extension of the JIM's mandate" and notified Security Council members about that in advance, explaining its stance, he said. "However, the draft was put to the vote," the Russian envoy said.
"Any extension of the JIM is possible for Russia only if fundamental flaws of its work are rectified," Nebenzya said.
"We cannot consider a JIM extension out of the overall context," he said.
"The Russian delegation participated in good faith in all consultations, both multilateral and bilateral, which were aimed to bring Security Council members' stances on the JIM's extension closer. Attempts to present the situation in a different light are nothing but deliberate misinformation," Nebenzya said.
Russia vetoed the Japan-sponsored draft resolution on a technical extension of the JIM mandate earlier, Bolivia voted against it, and China abstained. The remaining twelve members of the Security Council voted for the draft resolution.
The JIM mandate has expired overnight on November 18.