Russia opposes new UN moveson Syria, raps envoy expulsions

MOSCOW: Russia criticized Western nations yesterday for expelling Syrian envoys, calling the move “counterproductive,” and warned them not to seek new UN Security Council action on the crisis in the Middle Eastern state for the time being.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said yesterday that Russia is not considering changing its stance on Syria and that any attempts to apply pressure on Moscow are “hardly appropriate.”
With global anger rising over a massacre Western nations blame on the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Russia also signaled it would block any effort to authorize military intervention, the Interfax news agency reported.
Russia, which has blamed both the government and its foes for the killings of more than 108 civilians in the town of Houla, said kicking out Syrian envoys closes channels of use in influencing the government to abide by a UN peace plan. “The expulsion of Syrian ambassadors from the capitals of several leading Western states seems like a counterproductive step to us,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement.
The US, France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, the Netherlands and Bulgaria gave Syria’s envoys hours or days to leave in a coordinated move that increased Assad’s diplomatic isolation.
“They do not want to listen to Damascus, and that, from our point of view, does not improve matters in the current situation,” Lukashevich said, adding that Russia maintains “intensive contacts” with the government and opposition.
Russia’s warnings came after French President Francois Hollande said military intervention was not ruled out provided it was backed by the Security Council, and Germany said it would push for “new engagement” by the council on Syria.
In the latest reported episode of bloodletting in Syria, UN observers said on Wednesday 13 bodies had been discovered bound and shot in the east of the country.
“We believe consideration in the Security Council of any new measures to influence the situation now would be premature,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov whose country has twice vetoed Western-backed council resolutions condemning Assad over 15 months of bloodshed. Commenting on Hollande’s remark, Gatilov said Russia “categorically opposes any external intervention in the Syrian conflict, as it would only aggravate the situation with unpredictable consequences for Syria and the entire region.”
Fierce fighting erupted yesterday between regime troops and rebels near Damascus and in Homs province, a watchdog said, while reporting 39 more people killed across Syria. At least 14 regular troops were killed when checkpoints in Idlib and Hama were targeted.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati is heading to Turkey to follow up on the case of 11 Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria, a government source said.
“Mikati, commissioned by the Cabinet, will communicate directly with the Turkish authorities” on the issue of the pilgrims kidnapped in Syria on May 22, the source said.
Mikati announced that the pilgrims had entered Turkish territory after they were freed and would soon arrive in Beirut. They were kidnapped in Syria while on their way home from Iran.
Mikati’s office announced that the prime minister had spoken with Turkish foreign minister who confirmed that the Lebanese men were “well and are on their way to Beirut.”
FROM: AGENCIES