By IANS/RIA Novosti,
United Nations : Russia and China Saturday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Syria that calls on President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
Thirteen of the council’s 15 members voted in favour of the resolution aimed to stop the violence in Syria.
According to the UN, at least 5,400 people have been killed in the Syrian government’s 11-month crackdown on protesters.
Syrian authorities blame the violence on armed gangs affiliated with Al Qaeda and say more than 2,000 soldiers and police have been killed.
The West has been trying to persuade Moscow to support a resolution effectively authorising a military operation but Russia has repeatedly insisted that the Western drive for a stronger crackdown on Syria is preparation for a “Libyan scenario”.
Russia, one of al-Assad’s firm supporters during the uprising against his regime, indicated earlier this week that it would veto the draft resolution calling on the president to step down.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier Saturday he and Foreign Intelligence Service head Mikhail Fradkov will visit Syria and meet al-Assad Feb 7.