U.S. Willing to Work with Russia on U.N. Draft on Syria
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States hopes it can work with Russia on the draft resolution it proposed to the U.N. Security Council on the Syria crisis.
Though Clinton said Washington had differences with Moscow on the draft, Clinton said it was the "first time" that Russia has recognized the violence in Syria needs to be taken up by the Security Council.
"There are some issues in it that we would not be able to support. There's unfortunately a seeming parity between the government and peaceful protesters," said Clinton, who blames the Syrian regime alone for the violence.
"But we are going to study the draft carefully. It will have to be shared with the Arab League, which has taken the lead on the response to what's going on in Syria," Clinton said.
"And hopefully we can work with the Russians, who for the first time at least are recognizing that this is a matter that needs to go to the Security Council," she said.
"It's just that we have differences in how they are approaching it," Clinton said. "We hope to be able to work with them."
Clinton said she had not seen the draft, though it had been briefly described to her.
The Russian resolution strongly condemns the violence by "all parties, including disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities," according to a copy obtained by Agence France Presse.
The draft also raises concern over "the illegal supply of weapons to the armed groups in Syria."
As a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad, Russia has tried to head off Security Council intervention in the Syria crisis. With China, it vetoed a council resolution proposed by European nations in October condemning Assad's crackdown on protests which the U.N. says has left 5,000 dead.
Source: Agence France Presse
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