UNITED NATIONS, United States: Russia on Tuesday cast its seventh veto to protect the Syrian government from United Nations Security Council action, blocking a bid by Western powers to impose sanctions over accusations of chemical weapons attacks during the six-year Syrian conflict.
China backed Russia and cast its sixth veto on Syria. Russia had said the vote on the resolution, drafted by France and Britain, would harm UN-led peace talks between the warring Syrian parties in Geneva, which began last week.
Nine council members voted in favor of the resolution, drafted by France and Britain. Bolivia voted against the text, while Ethiopia, Egypt and Kazakhstan abstained. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Russia, Britain or China to be adopted.
