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A presidential statement can condemn a country, but does not have the clout of a resolution.
"This type of tool is a lot weaker than a formal resolution," said the CBC's Neil Herland, who covers the United Nations.
"Unlike a resolution, it doesn't carry any weight in international law. It's not legally binding."
The UN had tried to pass a formal resolution against Burma in January, before the latest round of violence erupted, but China, one of Burma's main economic partners, blocked the move.
The original resolution was harshly worded, calling on Burma to "cease military attacks" on civilians and end human rights violations that include "rape and other forms of sexual violence carried out by members of the armed forces."
Herland said China, which has veto power at the Security Council, is not likely to change its stance and accept a legally binding resolution, so the Security Council is opting for a presidential statement.
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http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/10/10/burma-un.html
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