Russia, China veto UN resolution demanding Syrian President Assad to step down

India Gazette (ANI) Sunday 5th February, 2012

Russia and China have vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down in the wake of his government's deadly crackdown on protestors.

Thirteen of the council's 15 members voted in favor of a proposal by Western nations and Arab countries to end the 11-month long bloodshed in Syria.

Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who had been highly critical of Western attempts to force a resolution, vetoed the Arab and Western-backed plan, and submitted the additional amendment dropping the demand for tanks and artillery to be withdrawn, part of the first Arab League peace plan agreed with Syria in November.

"Our amendments do not demand any extreme efforts," The Telegraph quoted Lavrov, as saying.

"If our colleagues display a constructive approach, we will get a collective Security Council resolution that I am certain all countries without exception will sign on to," he added.

Lavrov said that Russia would not support any resolution that "took sides" in a civil war.

According to the paper, Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said the amendments were 'unacceptable'.

Meanwhile UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, said that the 'Syrian regime's actions display President Assad's cold-blooded cynicism in the face of mounting international pressure for the UN security council to do its utmost to end the bloodshed.'

"The escalating violence underlines the critical importance of the security council adding its weight to the Arab League's efforts to end the crisis in Syria," he added. (ANI)