Syria Overcame Crisis, Triumphs in UN through Moscow

Batoul Wehbe

The UN Security Council concluded talks on Syria Wednesday failing to reach an agreement on a new resolution for another time, after Russia slammed Europe's effort to threaten sanctions against Damascus. The 15-member Council discussed rival draft resolutions on the Syria crisis drawn up by France, Britain, Germany and Portugal on one side and Russia on the other. Russia opposes any hint of sanctions and the latest version of its draft resolution seeks to condemn so-called violence by all sides in Syria. Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin called the European proposal "a continuation of the Libya policy of regime change." Russia and China have accused NATO of using UN resolutions on Libya to force out strongman Moammar Gaddafi and say they fear new military action in Syria. He said the Russian resolution "is something which if adopted by the council will encourage the political process in Syria and will help stop violence." China's UN ambassador, Li Baodong, said the final resolution must be "promoting a peaceful solution, promoting dialogue." CRISIS OVERCOME PEACEFULLY In the meantime, Syrian President Bashar Assad met Former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss in Damascus where they discussed the crisis, which according to Assad Syria “managed to overcome peacefully,” a statement from Hoss’ office said Wednesday. Hoss stressed that Syria has a key role in preserving Arabism and it is targeted due to this role. He also considered that any political move in the region in the future must be based on the pan-Arab thought which preserves the unity of the Arab societies. “The painful events have ended and, thank God, stability has returned to the affected Syrian cities,” Assad told Hoss adding that authorities are monitoring the situation to look out for the well-being and peace of the Syrian people.” The Syrian Arab News Agency said Assad discussed the events in Syria and its repercussions on the region in general and on Lebanon in particular. Later on Wednesday, Hoss told al-Jadeed TV channel that "Syria experienced an international attack. We know Syria was targeted and that they [the foreign powers] want to isolate it". ASSASSINATION WAVE! This comes as a wave of assassinations of high-profile figures has hit Syria with a nuclear engineer and a high-ranking law enforcement officer becoming the latest victims. Nuclear engineer and university professor Aws Abdel Karim Khalil was shot in the head by an armed terrorist group operating in the city of Homs in western Syria, SANA reported Wednesday. Security officer Colonel Tayssir al-Oqla was shot dead by another terrorist outfit at al-Ta'awuniya neighborhood of Hama, another western city. Khalil is the fourth Syrian academic to be assassinated in Homs since Sunday. Damascus says that the unrest is being orchestrated from outside the country and that the security forces have been given clear instructions not to harm civilians. Syria state TV has also broadcast reports and images of seizure of arms caches and confessions by terrorist elements, pointing to how they obtained weaponry from foreign sources. Syria's Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused the United States of inciting "armed groups" into acts of violence targeting the country's military. "Comments by American officials, notably [US State Department spokesperson] Mark Toner, are striking proof that the United States encourages armed groups to commit violence against the Syrian Arab army," a ministry statement said.

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