Russia’s position on the Syrian crisis is encouraging the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to commit “savage crimes,” the main opposition coalition said on Wednesday.
“Russia has chosen to join ranks with the Syrian regime and to provide it with political cover ... encouraging it to continue committing savage crimes that target civilians, including women and children,” the Syrian National Council said.
Russia on Wednesday warned against outside military intervention in Syria following al-Houla massacre that has been blamed by Western countries on regime-backed militia.
“Russia will use its veto in the United Nations Security Council to block authorization for any military action in Syria,” Interfax reported, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.
“Russia has chosen to join ranks with the Syrian regime and to provide it with political cover ... encouraging it to continue committing savage crimes that target civilians, including women and children,” the Syrian National Council said.
Russia on Wednesday warned against outside military intervention in Syria following al-Houla massacre that has been blamed by Western countries on regime-backed militia.
“Russia will use its veto in the United Nations Security Council to block authorization for any military action in Syria,” Interfax reported, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.
The Russian stance and the “weapons the Russian government has given the Syrian regime ... has turned Moscow into an accomplice with the regime in an attempt to spark a civil war,” making it impossible for Syria’s Soviet-era ally to be a genuine partner in the political process to end the crisis.
Russia should instead “join the ranks of the friends of the Syrian people,” the statement said, adding that by “covering for the crime,” it had to bear part of the “moral and legal responsibility.”
Russia, meanwhile, said Wednesday the “counterproductive” expulsion of Syrian envoys from European and other capitals would only damage existing efforts to end the 14-month crisis through talks.
“The expulsion of Syrian diplomats from leading Western states seems to us to be counterproductive. After all, vital (diplomatic) channels... end up being closed,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Numerous Western nations, including the United States, Britain and France, expelled Syrian diplomats in the wake of Friday’s massacre and France floated the idea of armed intervention to protect civilians.
Earlier, SNC chief Burhan Ghalioun said that Assad must step down if joint U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan is to be saved.
“An international understanding for Assad’s stepping-down is the only way to save Annan’s plan and the political solution; otherwise the situation is on the verge of explosion and will threaten the entire region,” Ghalioun said.
In a statement issued after a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Ghalioun stressed the “necessity that the international community moves quickly to put an end to the massacres.”
Either the international community should “work with Russia to overcome the division in the Security Council, or with the Friends of Syria” group, the statement added.
Visiting Damascus on Monday and Tuesday, Annan urged Assad to “act now” to end 15 months of bloodshed, warning the country had reached a "tipping point" as several Western states ordered out its top diplomats.
Deadly violence has raged in Syria in spite of an Annan-brokered truce in place since April 12. On Friday and Saturday, at least 108 people were massacred in central al-Houla, according to U.N. observers deployed in Syria to monitor the shaky truce.
But Russia said on Wednesday it was premature to take new U.N. action on Syria, and repeated that it remained firmly opposed to foreign intervention in the crisis.
The comments came just a day after the U.S. State Department said it hoped last week’s tragedy would spark a “turning point” in Russia’s reluctance to take tougher action against its Soviet-era ally.
“The Syrian people do not want the future to be one of bloodshed and division. Yet the killings continue and the abuses are still with us today,” Annan said in Damascus on Monday.
More than 13,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians, since the uprising against Assad's regime erupted in March last year, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russia should instead “join the ranks of the friends of the Syrian people,” the statement said, adding that by “covering for the crime,” it had to bear part of the “moral and legal responsibility.”
Russia, meanwhile, said Wednesday the “counterproductive” expulsion of Syrian envoys from European and other capitals would only damage existing efforts to end the 14-month crisis through talks.
“The expulsion of Syrian diplomats from leading Western states seems to us to be counterproductive. After all, vital (diplomatic) channels... end up being closed,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Numerous Western nations, including the United States, Britain and France, expelled Syrian diplomats in the wake of Friday’s massacre and France floated the idea of armed intervention to protect civilians.
Earlier, SNC chief Burhan Ghalioun said that Assad must step down if joint U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan is to be saved.
“An international understanding for Assad’s stepping-down is the only way to save Annan’s plan and the political solution; otherwise the situation is on the verge of explosion and will threaten the entire region,” Ghalioun said.
In a statement issued after a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Ghalioun stressed the “necessity that the international community moves quickly to put an end to the massacres.”
Either the international community should “work with Russia to overcome the division in the Security Council, or with the Friends of Syria” group, the statement added.
Visiting Damascus on Monday and Tuesday, Annan urged Assad to “act now” to end 15 months of bloodshed, warning the country had reached a "tipping point" as several Western states ordered out its top diplomats.
Deadly violence has raged in Syria in spite of an Annan-brokered truce in place since April 12. On Friday and Saturday, at least 108 people were massacred in central al-Houla, according to U.N. observers deployed in Syria to monitor the shaky truce.
But Russia said on Wednesday it was premature to take new U.N. action on Syria, and repeated that it remained firmly opposed to foreign intervention in the crisis.
The comments came just a day after the U.S. State Department said it hoped last week’s tragedy would spark a “turning point” in Russia’s reluctance to take tougher action against its Soviet-era ally.
“The Syrian people do not want the future to be one of bloodshed and division. Yet the killings continue and the abuses are still with us today,” Annan said in Damascus on Monday.
More than 13,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians, since the uprising against Assad's regime erupted in March last year, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
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