Moscow objects to a draft resolution on Syria submitted to the UN Security Council by a number of Western nations, since it may lead to the use of force against Damascus, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Thursday.

“We have stated repeatedly that Chapter 7 of the UN Charter is unacceptable to us,” he said, referring to a clause enabling the UN to take “urgent military measures” to enforce its decisions.

“Using the resolution to justify the use of force in the future is absolutely unacceptable to us.”

The United States, France, Britain and Germany have drafted a resolution giving the Syrian authorities 10 days to stop using heavy weapons. Failure by Damascus to comply with the resolution will incur diplomatic and economic sanctions, as well as the use of force.

Moscow and Beijing have twice vetoed Security Council resolutions that so much as hinted at sanctions.

Between 13,000 and 17,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad 17 months ago, according to Syrian rights groups quoted by the United Nations.