Russian official says UN draft resolution on Syria ‘unacceptable’

PanARMENIAN.Net - A top Russian human rights official criticized a United Nations draft resolution on Syria on Wednesday, Nov 20, claiming the measure defies the logic of a diplomatic resolution for the country’s civil war, RIA Novosti reported.

The UN resolution also wrongly places the main responsibility for the war on the Syrian government, said Anatoly Viktorov, the deputy director of the Foreign Ministry’s department on humanitarian cooperation and human rights.

“This project is yet another attempt … to put pressure on the [Syrian] government,” Viktorov said. “Such an approach is unacceptable in principle.”

Viktorov said Russia is committed to supporting a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which may be negotiated at an upcoming international peace conference in Geneva.

The UN Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee approved a draft resolution on Tuesday “strongly condemn[ing] the continued widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms” in Syria and denouncing the use of chemical weapons in the country.

The resolution, authored by a number of countries including France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and UK, passed by 123 votes to 13, with 46 abstentions.

Russia voted against the measure.