Annan, Ban press Russia, China to back Syria action

UNITED NATIONS: Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon were to head for Russia and China yesterday to press the two UN Security Council doubters to back tougher action against President Bashar al-Assad to halt the slaughter in Syria.

The visits by the UN-Arab League envoy and the UN leader come at a crucial new stage in the 16-month old conflict. The Security Council has until Friday to renew the UN mission in Syria but is divided over Western calls to add sanctions.

“So divided that maybe Annan and Ban now have the most influence over Russia and China to get anything done,” said one senior UN council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Russia has led the resistance and Annan is to meet President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during two days of talks in Moscow, said his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi.

Russia's reluctance to act against its Damascus ally has seen it hold up a UN Security Council statement condemning the massacre of more than 150 people in the village of Treimsa on Thursday.

A draft statement which said the Syria government is in “violation” of its international commitments was circulated among the 15 council nations on Friday, diplomats said. Russia's envoys said they could not agree without approval from Moscow.

China has supported Russia's rejections and Ban was to head for Beijing yesterday officially for a China-Africa summit.

But Syria will top his talks agenda when he meets President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other leaders, said a UN official.Ban has said that international inaction on Syria would be giving “a license for further massacres.”

He already urged China to use its “influence” to back Annan's peace plan when he spoke with Yang by telephone on Saturday, said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.

AFP