UN rights body launches new inquiry on Syria

GENEVA | Tue Aug 23, 2011 5:02am EDT

GENEVA Aug 23 (Reuters) - The U.N. Human Rights Council launched a new commission of inquiry into Syria's crackdown on anti-government protesters, including possible crimes against humanity, despite objections by countries including Russia, China and Cuba.

The 47-member forum easily adopted a resolution presented by by the European Union and the United States. The vote was 33 countries in favour with four against and 9 abstentions. Libya's membership in the council was suspended earlier this year so it has no vote.

"The resolution is adopted," Uruguay's ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre who chairs the Council, announced after the vote.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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