Russia rejects 'one-sided' UN draft resolution on Syria

Image
IANS Moscow
Last Updated : Feb 12 2014 | 5:05 AM IST

Russia Tuesday described the UN Security Council's draft resolution on Syria as "counterproductive" and the ideas proposed by Western partners as "absolutely one-sided and detached from reality", Xinhua reported.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news briefing that the proposals on aid access -- presented by Australia, Luxemboug and Jordan -- ignored the efforts made to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria, and blamed the Syrian government for the situation, saying it was the armed rebels hampering supplies.

The Geneva II conference resumed Tuesday for a second round of talks after a 10-day break.

The top Russian diplomat urged the participants of the talks to focus on countering the threat of terrorism, stopping uncontrolled arms smuggling and lifting blockades of Syrian towns for the delivery of humanitarian supplies.

"Let's take a principal position on the growing terrorists threat and come down to that problem systematically," Lavrov said, describing that aspect of the crisis as "terrible."

He also slammed the West for turning a blind eye to terrorist activities in Syria and favouring a "simplistic decision" in drafting another Security Council resolution.

Lavrov said the West was trying to use the Syrian humanitarian issue in the same way as the chemical weapons issue -- to undermine a political process and return to a military scenario. "This is absolutely counterproductive."

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 12 2014 | 5:00 AM IST

Next Story