Russia has criticised a UN General Assembly resolution on Syria, calling it “blatant” support for rebel groups battling President Bashar al-Assad.
Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s UN ambassador, said on Friday that the main backers of the resolution, overwhelmingly passed by the UN assembly, were providing “mercenaries and arms” to the Syrian opposition.

He said the resolution, which condemned Assad’s government and the UN Security Council’s failure to act on the Syrian crisis, would not halt the civil war.
“Behind the facade of humanitarian rhetoric, the resolution hides a blatant support for the armed opposition,” Churkin told the assembly.

Without naming them, he said the ‘most active” backers of the resolution “are actively supporting and financing” the opposition and “giving them mercenaries and arms”. Saudi Arabia drew up the resolution with strong support from other Arab and western nations.
Russia and China have three times vetoed UN Security Council resolutions which could have led to sanctions against Syria, and Churkin also criticised the attack on the Security Council’s failure to act in Friday's resolution.

He said the resolution “contradicts” efforts to implement the peace plan of Kofi Annan, who resigned on Thursday as the UN-Arab League envoy on Syria. “It undermines the chances for launching a Syrian process for a political settlement,” the Russian ambassador added.
China also voted against the General Assembly resolution. Wang Min, the country’s deputy ambassador, said “a position of pressure on only one party will not help resolve the Syrian issue.

“On the contrary it will derail the political settlement of the crisis, cause further escalation of the turmoil and let the crisis spill over to other countries in the region,” Wang told the assembly, reaffirming China’s condemnation of any military intervention in the crisis.
China also hit back at criticism of its stance over the crisis in Syria, repeating Beijing’s position that outside interference will not help.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Wang Kejian, deputy head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s West Asian and North African Affairs

Department, said China continued to support efforts at a peaceful, political solution for Syria.
“We should not easily close the window to a political solution let alone start military intervention,” Wang said.
“China understands the desire of Arab countries and the Arab League for a swift resolution of the Syrian crisis.

“We have on numerous occasions stressed to various parties that the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Syrian people for change and for safeguarding their interests deserve respect,” Wang said. — Aljazeera.