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Russia offers compromise on UN resolution against Syria

© RIA Novosti . Ruslan Krivobok / Go to the mediabankRussia's envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin
Russia's envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin - Sputnik International
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Moscow calls on the UN Security Council to continue the search for a balanced approach toward the political crisis in Syria based on a draft resolution prepared by Russia and China.

Moscow calls on the UN Security Council to continue the search for a balanced approach toward the political crisis in Syria based on a draft resolution prepared by Russia and China, Russia's envoy to the UN said.

"Our draft remains on the table. We are ready to develop an authentically collective constructive position of the international community rather than legitimizing already adopted unilateral sanctions and attempts to forcefully overthrow regimes," Vitaly Churkin said.

Russia and China used their veto right and blocked on Tuesday a draft UN resolution that threatened sanctions against Syria if President Bashar Assad's government continued violence against the opposition in the country

The draft, prepared by the European members of the UN Security Council and supported by the United States, stipulated that the Assad's regime should face the possibility of tough sanctions if it fails to stop its crackdown on opposition within 30 days since the adoption of the resolution.

The resolution was rejected late on Tuesday by a vote of 9-2 with four abstentions.

Russia, which stands firmly against any mention of sanctions citing the example of Libya where the NATO countries largely overstepped the UN mandate in a military operation against Muammar Gaddafi's regime, said the text of the document was "unacceptable" despite several changes to the draft.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told the 15-nation body after Russia and China vetoed the resolution that Washington was outraged by the failure to condemn violence in Syria.

"The crisis in Syria will stay before the Security Council and we will not rest until this council rises to meet its responsibilities," she said.

The Syrian government has used force to crush opposition protests, which followed a wave of uprisings in other Arab countries. The UN says some 2,700 people have died since the start of the protests in March.

The United States, Canada and the EU have already imposed unilateral sanctions on Syria and have called for Assad to step down.

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