Bahrain Seeks UN Vote on Hormuz Shipping Resolution

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, but veto-wielding China has made clear its opposition to authorising any use of force. Diplomats said the meeting of the Council’s 15 members and the vote were scheduled for Saturday morning, rather than Friday as earlier planned, because Friday is a UN holiday. 

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, told the council on Thursday that Bahrain looked forward to a unified position.

Reports say the draft resolution would authorise all defensive means necessary to protect commercial shipping for a period of at least six months. Bahrain, backed by other Gulf Arab states and Washington, had previously dropped an explicit reference to binding enforcement in a bid to overcome objections from other nations, particularly Russia and China.

However, in remarks to the Security Council on Thursday morning, China’s UN envoy, Fu Cong, opposed authorising a force, arguing that such a move would legitimise the unlawful use of force and inevitably lead to further escalation. A fourth draft of the resolution was put under a so-called silence procedure for approval, but a Western diplomatic source said the silence had been broken by China, France and Russia.

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A Security Council resolution requires at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes from the five permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. Al Zayani said Iran’s unlawful attempt to control international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz threatened global interests and required a decisive response.