Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia, holds up the Russian Federation name plate demanding to speak during a Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Oct. 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Tuesday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution on the extension of the mandate of an independent investigation mechanism to determine who was responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

The draft resolution sponsored by the United States sought to extend the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for another year.

Among the 15 members of the Security Council, 11 were in favor, two were against, and another two abstained. As Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council, its "no" vote means that the draft resolution was rejected. Bolivia also voted against the draft resolution. China and Kazakhstan abstained.

Prior to the vote, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, proposed a postponement till Nov. 7, arguing that the extension of JIM's mandate should be discussed after the publication of JIM's report, which is only two days away. He told the council that a hasty vote was intended to "dishonor" Russia.

British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft repudiated the Russian position, saying that a vote on Tuesday was intended to de-link the JIM report and the extension of its mandate, thus avoiding the "politicization" of the issue.

U.S. deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Michele Sison, also rejected the Russian proposal, saying there is no time to waste.

"It's not every day that this council considers an issue that is so horrific and so shocking to the conscience as the use of chemical weapons against civilians. We need to keep this important work of the JIM on track."

Russia's proposal was put to vote and was rejected by the Security Council 8-4 with three abstentions, giving the green light for a vote for the draft Security Council resolution.

After the Russian veto, the U.S. and British representatives attacked Russia and asked to preserve JIM. Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador, regretted the vote, saying that the Russia veto did not mean an end to JIM.

"We will return to this matter ... (we) will examine what the mandate of JIM should be so that it fulfils its work in a professional, objective and impartial way," he told the Security Council.

The Security Council unanimously approved JIM in 2015 and renewed its mandate for another year in 2016. Its mandate expires on Nov. 17, 2017.