Common Ground

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The United Nations

4 October 2011, Russia and China vetoed a Europe-drafted UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution condemning Assad’s government.The resolution would have threatened the Syrian government with targeted sanctions given continued military actions against protestors.

In December 2011, Russia introduced its own draft resolution, assigning blame to both the Syrian government and opposition.

On 31 January 2012, the Security Council discussed a Western-Arab resolution that demanded an immediate halt to military action, supported the latest (December 2011) Arab League peace plan and called on Assad to cede power. On 4 February, Russia and China vetoed this resolution.

A similar text was advanced in the UN General Assembly, which on 16 February 2012 endorsed this non-binding resolution. Russia, China and ten other nations voted against it.

On 27 September 2013, the UNSC passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118, which enshrined Syria’s agreement to surrender its chemical weapons.