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Syrian Troops Intensify Crackdown, As Russia Stands By Assad

February 01, 2012

Syrian rights activists say at least eight civilians and 15 soldiers have been killed by fighting in the central Syrian city of Homs.

The violence comes as government troops also battled army defectors in several mountain towns overlooking Damascus in their latest push to crush rebellion near the capital.

Syrian troops have intensified their crackdown as Western powers and Arab countries have sought unsuccessfully to overcome Russia's opposition to a UN draft resolution calling on President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

Activists, meanwhile, have called for commemorations on February 2 to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of a government crackdown against a Sunni Muslim uprising in the town of Hama ordered by Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad. As many as 40,000 people were killed in that monthlong crackdown , most of them civilians.

Russia earlier rejected the UN Security Council draft text, saying the measure does not explicitly rule out foreign military intervention.

Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said his country would veto any resolution seen as aggravating the conflict. Churkin said putting the resolution to a vote would be "counterproductive" and said Russia would not back down from its demand that an internal solution be found to the Syria impasse. Churkin urged members of the Syrian opposition to be "courageous" and begin dialogue with Assad's regime.

The Western and Arab League-backed draft was presented at a Security Council meeting on January 31.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the draft does not advocate outside military intervention.

She and Arab diplomats had been pressing Moscow and Beijing -- both of which are veto-wielding members of the Security Council -- to reverse their opposition to the resolution.

Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's ambassador to the European Union, was quoted on February 1 calling for the draft to be changed to reflect Moscow's position that the conflict should be resolved internally by Syrians.

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari said his government is not responsible for the conflict. Jaafari blamed the U.S. and its European allies, saying they are motivated by a desire for "the return of colonialism and hegemony."

Western diplomats were hoping to take the resolution to a vote this week.

But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said a vote on the draft resolution needs more time and "there is not going to be any vote at all in the coming days."

Compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia_rejects_draft_un_resolution_on_syria_violence_int/24469845.html

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Syrian Troops Intensify Crackdown, As Russia Stands By Assad