The Western allies are “determined to vote today,” France’s UN ambassador, Gerard Araud, said ahead of talks in the Security Council.
British UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant also said: “We expect a vote today.”
That drew the battle lines for a showdown between the Western powers and Russia in the Security Council just hours after allegations that between 217 and 260 civilians had been massacred by Syrian forces in the city of Homs.
Russia has refused to support a Western-Arab draft resolution that would condemn the Syrian government’s bloody crackdown on a 10-month old uprising and require President Bashar al-Assad to abide by an Arab League timetable for political reform, including his own resignation.
Russia, which has close ties to Syria and fears losing further influence in the Middle East, has described the resolution as license for regime change along the lines of the Western-led intervention in Libya — backed by a UN resolution — that toppled longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi.
Moscow objects in particular to language in the draft resolution demanding Syria move “in accordance with” the Arab League plan for political change. The Russians wanted this to be softened to “taking into account” the Arab plan, something the Western powers rejected.
Russia is one of the five countries on the Security Council with veto power and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned of a “scandal” if the text is brought for a vote.
Later, he said the resolution was not “hopeless,” but warned against measures which he said would involve the UN body “taking sides in a civil war.”
The United States and its partners have spoken just as strongly in favor of a vote, even if there appeared to be a risk of Russia imposing its veto.
Meeting at a conference in Munich, Germany, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Lavrov that Washington insisted putting the issue to a vote, a US official said.
“The secretary made clear that we feel, the United States feel, strongly that the UN Security Council should vote today,” the official said.
The already brewing diplomatic row became suddenly hotter at the weekend following the alarming reports from Homs.
US President Barack Obama on Saturday accused Assad’s government of an “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.
Meanwhile, Lavrov was due to travel to Damascus on Tuesday for talks with Assad in order to find a “political solution” to the crisis, according to his deputy. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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