The Western and Arab League-backed draft, which calls on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to cede power, was presented at a Security Council meeting on January 31.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the draft does not advocate outside military intervention.
She and Arab diplomats had been pressing Moscow and Beijing — both of which are veto-wielding members of the Security Council — to reverse their opposition to the resolution.
But Vladimir Chizhov, Russia’s ambassador to the European Union, was quoted on February 1 calling for the draft to be changed to reflect Moscow’s position that the conflict should be resolved internally by Syrians.
Syrian government forces, meanwhile, were reported to be continuing their crackdown on antiregime elements, storming neighborhoods outside Damascus and in Homs Province.
Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja’afari said his government is not responsible for the conflict. Ja’afari blamed the U.S. and its European allies, saying they are motivated by a desire for “the return of colonialism and hegemony.”
Western diplomats were hoping to take the resolution to a vote this week.
Compiled from agency reports
Source Article from http://www.rferl.org/content/russia_rejects_draft_un_resolution_on_syria_violence/24469845.html
