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    Diplomat: Russia will keep shielding Assad at UN

    By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV | Associated Press – Fri, Feb 10, 2012

    MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Russian diplomat signaled Friday that Moscow will again use its veto power at the United Nations to block any resolution aimed at ousting Syrian President Bashar Assad from power.

    Last weekend, Russia voted "no" at the U.N. Security Council for a second time in four months to block a resolution urging Assad to step down over his crackdown on an 11-month-old uprising. The move came as Syrian forces intensified their crackdown, which has killed thousands of people and drawn strong international condemnation.

    Russia said it would block any U.N. resolution that could pave the way for a replay of what happened in Libya. In that case, Russia abstained from a vote, which cleared the way for months of NATO air force attacks that helped Libyans end Moammar Gadhafi's regime and kill the Libyan leader.

    Syria is Russia's last remaining ally in the Middle East, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday that his government will thwart any attempts by the West and major Arab powers to oust Assad by using a U.N. resolution. "If our foreign partners don't understand that, we will have to use strong means again and again to call them back to reality," he was quoted as saying by the ITAR-Tass news agency.

    On Friday, Russian lawmakers also supported shielding Assad's regime from international sanctions.

    In the lower house of parliament, the lawmakers unanimously passed a statement warning against foreign military intervention in Syria and accusing the West and Arab nations of planning a regime change there.

    Alexei Pushkov, the head of the State Duma's foreign affairs committee, said Russia strongly opposes what he called another military "operation to promote democracy." Just before the legislative session began, he said: "We are against using humanitarian reasons to change the regime."

    The Duma's statement emphasized that the U.N. Security Council must not side with the opposition in Syria's internal conflict by demanding that Assad's regime step down.

    Moscow has maintained close ties with Damascus since the Cold War, when Syria was led by the current leader's father, Hafez Assad.

     

    35 comments

    • Распутин
      Распутин  •  3 mths ago
      Why again should ANY country assist in a civil war? You complain about Russia selling to Syria..............where do you think the opposition is getting their money and the weapons? From the McCain and Clinton NGOs in that country. I just want to know why our leaders continue to spend money on things that are not our business. Let Syria sort out it's own problems as the US has enough of it's own it should be fixing with my tax dollars.
      • THE BANISHED
        THE BANISHED 3 mths ago
        Sad what is occuring there, but you are right....
      • Распутин
        Распутин 3 mths ago
        Still wondering...............just saw a video that showed the opposition group blew up two buildings with 110 Syrian soldiers in it dead. Why does AP not show that in this civil war there are deaths on both sides. They are painting a picture that only the opposition is dying..............hundreds of soldiers and police are dying every day. Just for giggles everyone read every article as they come out and notice ZERO mention of government forces dying............only opposition. Now tell me that this is fair and unbiased news again!!
      • Samson
        Samson 3 mths ago
        "Why does AP not show that in this civil war there are deaths on both sides. "
        It is the policy of the U.S., it only counts the militants, insurgents, Talibans, Al Quadas (as it claimed) deaths but not the civilians dealths. For any country it opposes, It only counts the civilians deaths. Take it or leave, the mighty power can do whatever it wants.
    • S Couple
      S Couple  •  3 mths ago
      Russia cannot afford to keep losing allies to the west. Anyone thinking otherwise is living in the dream world. If Arabs want to oust Assad, they need to do it themselves without involving America. We've had enough wars in the middle east hell.
    • THE BANISHED
      THE BANISHED  •  3 mths ago
      So let them deal with it....We have no further business getting involved in another mess we can't deal with, and we are not wanted there anyway...
    • Dr. O
      Dr. O  •  3 mths ago
      Russia---------FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFKKKKKKKKKKKKKK you.
    • bibin
      bibin  •  New Delhi, India  •  3 mths ago
      Russians don't have "double standards"
      • Garry
        Garry 3 mths ago
        Kind of hard to have double standards when they have none at all.
    • JustTheFactsPlease
      JustTheFactsPlease  •  Spokane, Washington  •  3 mths ago
      You people are diplomats for crying out loud. Why can't you see your way clear to get together and agree on a plan to mitigate the death and destruction occurring in Syria. I guess as always politics, greed and corruption supersedes the need to minimize human causalities. I am disgusted by the disregard for life in supposedly humane cultures.
      • Spice
        Spice 3 mths ago
        Russia has no diplomats they are called that because of international norms but there is not one true diplomat in Russia currently!!
      • Rabid Dog
        Rabid Dog 3 mths ago
        Disgusted by you Spokane!
      • JustTheFactsPlease
        JustTheFactsPlease 3 mths ago
        Rabid dog-
        Bite me!
    • FupBob
      FupBob  •  Fayetteville, North Carolina  •  3 mths ago
      You know, maybe we "should" keep our nose out if this.
    • idontcare
      idontcare  •  3 mths ago
      I see a lot of Jihad Joes here. Remember poor Joes, your Muslim allies still hate you!
    • Jim in CA
      Jim in CA  •  3 mths ago
      Why would Russia protect Iran and its ally, Syria? During WW2, Russia invaded Iran and took over the entire country. Supposedly this was done to prevent Iran's oil from being used by Germany, but ever since then the Iranians have hated the Russians. My guess is that Russia fears a nuclear armed Iran and is trying to make amends. Good luck, Russia. There's no dealing with these people. They are fanatics.
      • Traveler
        Traveler 3 mths ago
        When did Russia invade Iran? Please get your facts straight.
      • Jim in CA
        Jim in CA 3 mths ago
        My facts are straight. Sadly for you, you have no facts to get straight.
      • Jim in CA
        Jim in CA 3 mths ago
        Traveler has never heard of the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran and the 3-year occupation that followed. Strange name for someone who has only traveled around in their mom's basement.
    • Eric1
      Eric1  •  3 mths ago
      Well, when you consider how much money Russia makes from the Assad regime, plus the fact that there are big-time protests going on in Russia itself demanding much the same sort of 'regime-change,' you can see why the Russian/Putin regime would want to support Assad at all costs (don't want to set an ugly precedent of UN-sponsored 'regime change').
      • Rabid Dog
        Rabid Dog 3 mths ago
        And Assad pays in cash right at point of sale!
      • Eric1
        Eric1 3 mths ago
        True!
    • Allank
      Allank  •  3 mths ago
      Thats right Russia, stick to principles because thousands of lives are not worth getting excited over.
    • Rick
      Rick  •  Livingston, New Jersey  •  3 mths ago
      The Russian leaders are as corrupt as Assad.
    • Garry
      Garry  •  San Diego, California  •  3 mths ago
      I wonder how Russia and China will respond if this unfortunately spins out of control and tens of thousands or possibly hundreds of thousands die? I am not sure there is really a correct way to handle this but sitting back and vetoing resolutions surely does nothing for those poor people.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Harwood Heights, Illinois  •  3 mths ago
      Hey that is a great idea Russia, let them muzzy savages slaughter each other. It works for me.
    • Diver
      Diver  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Russia has their own "muslim" problem. Can't wait to see how they deal with this. Assad's days are numbered to bad Russia doesn't want to think past their next arms sale.
    • Les Miserable
      Les Miserable  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  3 mths ago
      After what happened in Libya, I don't blame Russia for their decision. I don't think anyone leader should have to die as Khaddafi died. However, I do not believe a government should be allowed to masacre its people. And since Russia vetoed the resolutions that the UN Council presented, they should have a solution themselves to put an end to this ordeal so their is no bloodshed, if this is really what is happening as the media portrays.
    • 3rd_HorseMan
      3rd_HorseMan  •  Harlingen, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      Russia truly is the land of the Untermensch. The class and culture established by the Romanoff dynasty collapsed shortly after the 1917 revolution. Intellectuals and professionals were hunted down by the 'undesirables' and eventually culminated in widespread purges ordered by a paranoid, tri-polar 4th grade drop-out (Stalin) which resulted in the murder of millions of educated, progressive Russians. General Patton was absolutely correct in his desire to keep rolling east and 'rid the world of this garbage'. The liberal West ignored Patton's plan and we have been paying the price ever since. Let us not forget that both Russia and China would be far different (much better) had America simply stayed out of the Good War. The cowardly attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbour truly changed the course of history - by forcing America's hand. Domo Arigato Japan. Ain't life grand? 3H.
    • bill
      bill  •  Beaverton, Oregon  •  3 mths ago
      One oppressive regime protecting another, Even a blind man can see that much.
    • A Ashtar
      A Ashtar  •  Kansas City, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      Russian cultural history accepts this. Stalin killed somewhere between 12 and 20 million of his own people. Russia doesn't have amy problem with what Assad is doing. It's their barbaric side.
    • davem
      davem  •  Gainesville, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      "When a few people are killed it is Murder, When thousands are killed it is a statistic",
      Joseph Stalin.
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