West unmoved by Syria resolution

Western diplomats say a revised United Nations Security Council resolution circulated by Russia on the violence in Syria falls short of their demand for strong condemnation of President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on civilians.

The security council has been unable to agree on a resolution since the violence began in March because of deep divisions between its veto-wielding permanent members.

In October Russia and China vetoed a West European draft resolution, backed by the US, that condemned Assad’s attacks and threatened sanctions.

Moscow and Beijing oppose any mention of sanctions and say Assad’s militant opponents must also be condemned, but Western nations say there can be no comparison between the violence caused by the Syrian regime and the attacks by militant opponents of Assad.

Russia took the council by surprise in mid-December, introducing a draft resolution that called on all parties to stop the violence. It cited the “disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities” and urged the Syrian government “to put an end to suppression of those exercising their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association”, but contained no threat of sanctions.

Although the Russian draft did not meet Western demands, the US and its European allies saw it as a potentially positive sign and submitted a series of amendments. Western nations have complained publicly and privately at Russia’s slow response in coming up with a revised text – a charge Russia’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin rejected in late December.

Diplomats said the draft resolution sent to the 15 council nations yesterday did not appear to be a compromise.

Rather than producing new language, diplomats said, the Russians included their original text alongside most amendments proposed by other council members – but Moscow did not make clear whether it had accepted any changes or not.

The diplomats said council experts would meet today to discuss the new draft.