International outcry over Russia-China veto on Syria

France: Western and Arab powers have reacted angrily to Russia and China's veto of a Security Council resolution on the Syria crisis, but Moscow and Beijing insisted the text had needed more work. Russia, a long-time Syrian ally, and China had on Saturday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian government's deadly crackdown despite reports by Syrian activists that troops overnight had killed 230 civilians in the city of Homs.

US President Barack Obama denounced the “unspeakable assault” and demanded that Assad step down.

“Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes against his own people now.He must step aside and allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately,” Obama said in a statement.

“Yesterday the Syrian government murdered hundreds of Syrian citizens, including women and children, in Homs through shelling and other indiscriminate violence, and Syrian forces continue to prevent hundreds of injured civilians from seeking medical help,” the US president said.

“I strongly condemn the Syrian government's unspeakable assault against the people of Homs and I offer my deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones,” he added.

Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin justified the veto by saying the proposed resolution “sent an unbalanced signal to the Syrian parties”.

AFP