Damascus: Russia and China
on Thursday have vetoed a U.S.-backed U.N. Security Council resolution that have
threatened Syrian authorities with sanctions., putting the future of diplomacy
in limbo as fighting continues in Syria.
The condition is to stop using top
heavy weapons against an uprising and withdraw troops from towns and cities.
The vote came a
day after anti-government rebels bombed a meeting of top Syrian security
officials, killing three senior military figures with close ties to President
Bashar al-Assad, and as government shelling of neighborhoods in Damascus
continued.
Thursday's vote was
11-2, with two abstentions. It was the third time during the Syria crisis that
Russia and China have voted against the resolution.
The vote threatens
the peace mission of U.N. special envoy Kofi Annan and leaves undecided the
future of some 300 peacekeepers in Syria, whose mandate is scheduled to end
Friday. U.N. sources said the Security Council might convene later Thursday to
extend the mandate.
The Obama
administration has reportedly said Thursday it will work outside the U.N.
process to help resolve the Syria crisis.