Russia Slams Criticism over Syria Vote, Sticks to Pakistan Proposal

Russia on Friday slammed the "unacceptable" Western criticism that followed its decision to block together with China the threat of sanctions against its ally Syria at the U.N. Security Council.

"It is absolutely unacceptable that some Western countries are trying to lay the blame for the escalating Syrian violence on Russia's refusal to support a resolution threatening sanctions against the authorities," foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters.

"Instead of being involved in crude insinuations about the policies of Russia, which never stopped searching for a political solution, our Western partners should do at least something to make the militant opposition enter negotiations.

"The settlement of the Syria conflict cannot be reached through an escalation of violence and terrorist attacks," said the spokesman.

Russia drew the West's ire by using its veto for the third time to block stronger action against its Soviet-era ally for its use of force in a 16-month conflict that the opposition says has claimed more than 17,000 lives.

Washington called the decision "highly regrettable" while Britain said it was "appalled.”

But the diplomatic tensions threatened to continue on Friday.

Russia said it would back an unconditional 45-day extension of the U.N. monitors mission in Syria proposed by Pakistan rather than Britain's proposal to add 30 days to their mandate one last time.

"We will support it since we were involved in drawing up (the draft resolution) together with our Pakistani colleagues," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said, speaking a day after the Security Council veto.

The U.N. Security Council later Friday may consider two rival resolutions for extending the expiring mandate of the 300-strong team, which was sent to Syria by the United Nations under international mediator Kofi Annan's peace plan.