As she urged an UN resolution on a transition in Syria backed by sanctions, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Russia and China would pay a price as the two nations were “holding up progress” in Syria.

As she urged an UN resolution on a transition in Syria backed by sanctions, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Russia and China would pay a price as the two nations were “holding up progress” in Syria.

"We should go back and ask for a resolution in the Security Council that imposes real and immediate consequences for non-compliance, including sanctions under Chapter 7," which covers economic measures to military force, Clinton said.

Talking at the so-called “Friends of Syria” meeting in Paris, she called on the 100 nations and organizations in the conference to "reach out to Russia and China" to demand that they "get off the sidelines and begin to support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people."

Taking a tough tone, she said she thought the two nations did "not believe they are paying any price at all for standing up on behalf of the regime" of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
"The only way that will change is if every nation represented here directly and urgently makes it clear, that Russia and China will pay a price. They are holding up progress, blockading it. That is no longer tolerable," Clinton said.

But she 'praised' the “progress” that had been made, saying there is "a steady, inexorable march towards ending this regime."

She also 'condemned' countries at the meeting who had agreed to work towards helping the Syrian people, but who were not imposing sanctions, allowing Assad to stay in power.

"What is keeping him afloat, is money from Iran and assistance from Russia and the failure of countries here to tighten and enforce sanctions," she said.
"You cannot call for transition on the one hand and give the government a free pass on sanctions on the other."