Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria killings

Russia and China on Saturday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian government's deadly crackdown on protests for the second time.

A man holds a pre-Baath Syrian flag as Turkish and Syrian protesters shout slogans against Syrian President Bashar al Assad during a demonstration in Istanbul. Syrian troops killed more than 230 people in shelling of the city of Homs in a "horrific massacre" Saturday, activists said, as a UN draft resolution was to be put to a vote despite Russian opposition.

Thirteen countries voted for the resolution proposed by European and Arab nations to give strong backing to the Arab League's plan to end the crackdown. But Russia and China made a repeat of their rare double veto carried out on October 5 on an earlier condemnation.

"I would like to express our great regret and disappointment" at the veto, said Morocco's UN ambassador Mohammed Loulichki, whose country is the Arab member of the 15-member council and played a key role in the drawing up the resolution.

Russia and China "shamefully vetoed" the resolution, Britain's UN mission said.

The Security Council has now only agreed one statement, which has a lower standing, on the Syrian crisis since protests erupted in March last year.