France Says Russia 'Bears a Heavy Responsibility' over Syria Veto

France on Wednesday blasted Russia's vetoing of a U.N. draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into a suspected chemical attack.

"Russia bears a heavy responsibility through its systematic opposition -- in order to protect its ally Assad -- to a multilateral response to the issue of Syria," the office of French President Francois Hollande said in a statement.

The resolution "was designed to allow a rapid, thorough inquiry by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to establish responsibility for the chemical attacks on April 4 in Idlib province", the statement said.

Russia's veto was the eighth time it had chosen to oppose a majority of the (U.N. Security) Council in this way, it added.

"Only the coming together of the international community in favor of a political transition in Syria will allow this martyred country to find peace, stability and sovereignty again.

"France will continue to mobilize in this way."