Russia circulates in UNSC draft text banning illicit oil trade

 Russia late Friday circulated among Security Council members a draft presidential statement that would "strongly condemn" any engagement in direct or indirect oil trade from Syria meant to finance terrorist groups.
The Russian draft recalls that such engagement constitutes financial support for entities designated by the Security Council as terrorists, and the obligation of the Member States to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts.
It expresses "grave concern" over the access to and seizure of Syria's oilfields by terrorist groups, namely "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" and "Jabhat Al-Nusra", and recalls that any export or import of crude oil without authorization of a sovereign State is illegal.
It warns that the oilfields and related infrastructure, if controlled by terrorist organizations, generate one of the main sources of income for terrorists which supports their recruitment efforts and strengthens their operational capability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks.
It finally encourages all Member States to take "necessary measures" to prevent their nationals and entities from engaging in any commercial and financial transactions related to Syrian crude oil, and calls upon them to cooperate closely should any information on such activity be available to them.
Council members are examining the text, diplomats said