Russia Wednesday rejected a Western-backed UN resolution on Syria, saying adopting it would mean siding with a revolutionary movement after the opposition declared a decisive battle for control of Damascus.
“Now the Damascus Volcano, the battle for the capital and a decisive battle have been declared in Syria. Adopting the resolution would mean outright support of a revolutionary movement,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in reference to the armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad.
“And if we are talking about a revolution then the United Nations has nothing to do with it,” Lavrov said on the sidelines of a Kremlin meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The UN Security Council is due later Wednesday to vote on a Western-backed resolution under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter providing for sanctions against Damascus should it fail to withdraw military equipment from cities in 10 days.
The United States says it would only seek economic measures but Russia fears the West could later use other clauses under Chapter 7 that include the use of force should Assad fail to comply.
“We cannot accept Chapter 7 and the section about sanctions,” Lavrov told reporters.
Referring to the West he added: “Instead of trying to calm the opposition, some partners are pushing towards a further escalation.”