Russian parliament urges to avert aggression on Syria

A Russian legislative body urged the international community Wednesday to avert a military strike against Syria, while warning that such a step could jeopardise stability in the region.

Attacking Syria would destroy nuclear and chemical security in the region, result in more civilian casualties, and lead to a humanitarian disaster in that country, reported Xinhua citing the Russian State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, in a statement.

"In an effort to avert the disaster by all means available, the State Duma urges US Congress and other countries' parliaments not to let aggressive plans be implemented and to focus on search for peaceful ways out of the Syrian internal conflicts," it said.

This was the first document adopted by the State Duma after a summer recess.

In the statement, Russian MPs noted that military operation would be qualified as a gross violation of international law and thus a crime.

Russian MPs' invitation for talks over Syria in Washington was turned down by their US colleagues earlier this month.