A United Nations Security Council Resolution calling on President Bashir al-Assad to step down from the presidency has been vetoed by both Russia and China, despite continued massacres of the Syrian people, including attacks this weekend that left hundreds dead.

President Obama issued a statement Saturday, strongly urging the stepping down of Assad: “The suffering citizens of Syria must know: we are with you, and the Assad regime must come to an end,” President Obama proclaimed. He called on the U.N. Security Council to take a stand “against Bashar Assad's ‘relentless brutality’ and act as a credible advocate for human rights,” denouncing Assad’s “disdain for human life and dignity,” according to the Huffington Post. President Obama continued,

“The Syrian regime's policy of maintaining power by terrorizing its people only indicates its inherent weakness and inevitable collapse…Assad has no right to lead Syria, and has lost all legitimacy with his people and the international community.”

President Obama, not surprisingly, given the above statements, has pledged U.S. support for the Syrian people, and has “vowed to work with them to build a better future in their country,” calling for the help of the international community in working “to protect the Syrian people from this abhorrent brutality.”

The veto by Russia and China of the Security Council resolution’s calling for Assad’s removal sparked international outrage. According to BBC, U.S. Ambassador Rice condemned the veto as “shameful,” claiming that Russia and China aimed to “sell out the Syrian people and shield a craven tyrant,” and remarking that “Any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands.” Britain was “appalled” by the veto, the French ambassador commented “it is a sad day for this council, a sad day for all Syrians, and a sad day for democracy,” and the Moroccan ambassador “voiced ‘great regret and disappointment’ that Moscow and Beijing had struck it down.”

The resolution called for a “Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, plural political system,” BBC writes.

Russia’s ambassador responded by insisting that “the draft resolution had lacked balance,” according to BBC. The LA Times reports:

“Syria has been a key Russian ally since Soviet times and Moscow has opposed any U.N. call that could be interpreted as advocating military intervention or regime change. Russia and China also used their veto powers as permanent council members in October to block a previous Western attempt to condemn the violence in Syria.”

One of the key reasons for the drafting of the UN resolution was the recent escalation of violence in Syria, the victims of which have been civilians.

 

Reach Executive Producer Cara Palmer here or follow her on Twitter.