US criticizes Russia, China on Syria

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Li Baodong vetoing an anti-Syria resolution in the UN Security Council, Saturday, February 4, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/224928.html

The United States has criticized Russia and China for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution on Syria calling for Syrian President Bashar al Assad to resign and hand over power to opposition leaders.

“The United States is disgusted that a couple of members of this Council continue to prevent us from fulfilling our sole purpose,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice claimed.

"For months, this council has been held hostage by a couple of members," Rice added.

Russia and China were the only members of the UN council that rejected the anti-Syria resolution, endorsed by the US and its Arab allies. Russia and China had vetoed a similar resolution on Syria in October.

Russia's ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that the “international community” should not meddle in Syria's domestic conflict, and also opposed sanctions against the Syrian regime, saying that embargos could risk heating up the crisis in the Arab state.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Hundreds of people, including Syrian security forces, have been killed in the turmoil.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters. Damascus, however, blames “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.