Russia and China vetoed a UN sanctions resolution on Syria for the third time on Thursday, sparking outrage by the Western countries.

Russia and China vetoed a UN sanctions resolution on Syria for the third time on Thursday, sparking outrage by the Western countries.

There were 11 votes in favor, with Russia and China voting against and with Pakistan and South Africa abstaining. As two of the five permanent members of the council, Russia or China can veto any resolution.
The resolution was first written by Britain, one of the permanent members in the Security Council.

The British text, backed by the United States, France, Germany and Portugal, threatened non-military sanctions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter if President Bashar Assad did not withdraw heavy weapons from Syrian cities in 10 days.

However, Russia insisted that the west were aiming a military intervention through the resolution especially that it was under the Chapter VII.

The resolution sought to "open the path to the pressure of sanctions and further to external military involvement in Syrian domestic affairs," Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said after his veto.
Churkin said the West had sought to "fan the flames of extremists, including terrorist groups."

China's ambassador Li Baodong said Western nations had been "arrogant and rigid" in negotiations on the resolution.

WESTERN OUTRAGE
For its part, the United States said it would now act outside of the UN body to confront President Assad.

We will intensify our work with a diverse range of partners outside the Security Council to bring pressure to bear on the Assad regime and to deliver assistance to those in need," US ambassador Susan Rice said.
"The Security Council has failed utterly in its most important task on the agenda this year," she added.

On the other hand, Britain's UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant said his country was appalled at the veto of Russia and China.
"The effect of their actions is to protect a brutal regime. They have chosen to put their national interests ahead of the lives of millions of Syrians," Lyall Grant told the council.

France considered that Russia was “giving time” to President Assad through blocking the resolution.
"It is clear that Russia only aims to give more time to the Syrian regime to crush the opposition," French envoy Gerard Araud told the council.
"Refusing Annan the means of pressure that he asked for is to threaten his mission," Araud added.