• China and Russia have reiterated their opposition to the use of force to resolve the crisis in Syria. Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Li Baodong told the Security Council that Beijing is firmly opposed to push for a forced regime change in Syria. 
  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow won’t support any action that would be imposed on Syria. Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari rejected the draft resolution saying it amounts to flagrant violation of international norms and is a direct interference in the internal affairs of Syria.
  • Arab and Western states called upon the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to act swiftly on a draft resolution calling President Bashar Al Assad to step down. The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton strongly backed the call by the Arab League and Qatar for rapid and decisive action. 
  • Ms.Clinton made a strong case for inclusive Syrian led political process to resolve the crisis and warned if urgent action is not taken, the situation may spiral out of control. 
  • Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Araby said Arab nations wanted to avoid foreign military intervention in Syria. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani warned that Syria’s killing machine is still at work.
  • Earlier the Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani handed over the Arab League Observers report on Syria to the Council. 
  • The draft resolution calls for a political transition in two weeks under which President Bashir al-Assad would step aside in favour of his Vice President. A National Unity Government would be formed and preparations for elections would be made in first two months.
 
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