05/10/2011 10:26
Russia, China vetoed U.N. Security Council resolution
Russia and China joined forces on Tuesday to veto a European-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Syria and hinting it could face sanctions if its bloody crackdown on protesters continues, the Reuters reports.
The decision by Moscow and Beijing to use their veto power, Western diplomats told Reuters, could indicate that the Security Council might be headed for a longer-term deadlock on issues related to the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the "Arab Spring" pro-democracy movements in the region.
The vote triggered an angry reaction from Susan E. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, who walked out of the Security Council meeting in protest during the Syrian envoy’s statement.
U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said Washington was "outraged" by what diplomats said was a "double veto" by Moscow and Beijing, adding that the time had long past for the Security Council to adopt "tough targeted sanctions" on Damascus.
The failed resolution was a watered-down version of previous drafts that had threatened Syria with sanctions if it ignored international demands that it halt its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, the source reported.