A defiant Russia resisted intense pressure from the West and several Arab countries yesterday for a strong United Nations resolution demanding President Bashar al-Assad steps aside to end the political violence in Syria and speed a transition to democracy.
The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Alain Juppé, the French Foreign Minister and several Arab ministers were in New York for a Security Council meeting as fighting between government troops and regime opponents worsened.
However, as negotiations on the final text continued, there was no sign that Moscow, Syria’s most important ally, would consent to any wording that called on Mr Assad to go or that authorised military action.
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(Independent) Stalemate at UN on resolution urging Assad to go
A defiant Russia resisted intense pressure from the West and several Arab countries yesterday for a strong United Nations resolution demanding President Bashar al-Assad steps aside to end the political violence in Syria and speed a transition to democracy.
The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Alain Juppé, the French Foreign Minister and several Arab ministers were in New York for a Security Council meeting as fighting between government troops and regime opponents worsened.
However, as negotiations on the final text continued, there was no sign that Moscow, Syria’s most important ally, would consent to any wording that called on Mr Assad to go or that authorised military action.
Read it all.