Anger and disappointment over UN veto

Beirut/United Nations: Western and Arab countries responded with outrage yesterday after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have urged Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to give up power.

The US ambassador to the United Nations said she was "disgusted" by the vote, which came a day after activists say Syrian forces bombarded the city of Homs, killing more than people in the worst night of bloodshed of the 11-month uprising. "Any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands," ambassador Susan Rice said after the Russian-Chinese veto.

All 13 other members of the Security Council voted to back the resolution, which would have "fully supported" an Arab League plan under which Al Assad should cede powers to a deputy, withdraw troops from towns and begin a transition to democracy.

Russia said the resolution was biased and would promote "regime change". Syria is Moscow's rare ally in the Middle East, home to a Russian naval base and a customer for its arms.

The Syrian National Council, which represents major opposition groups, said it holds Moscow and Beijing "responsible for the escalating acts of killing and genocide; it considers this an irresponsible step that is tantamount to a licence to kill with impunity".

‘No right to preach'

The Security Council's sole Arab member, Morocco, voiced "great regret and disappointment" at the veto. Ambassador Mohammad Loulichki said the Arabs had no intention of abandoning their plan.

Syrian UN envoy Bashar Ja'afari criticised the resolution and its sponsors, which included Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states, saying nations "that prevent women from attending a soccer match" had no right to preach democracy. He also denied Syrian forces killed hundreds of civilians in Homs, saying "no sensible person" would launch such an attack the night before the Security Council was set to discuss his country.

Residents of Homs's battered Baba Amro district, speaking by telephone, denounced the Russian-Chinese veto, some chanting, "Death, rather than disgrace". One resident who identified himself as Sufyan said: "Now we will show Al Assad. We're coming, Damascus. Starting today we will show Al Assad what an armed gang is." Al Assad has called his opponents "armed gangs" and "terrorists" steered from abroad.

Russia's UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin, accused the resolution's backers of "calling for regime change, pushing the opposition towards power and not stopping their provocations and feeding armed struggle".