MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Russia is hoping that partners in the UN Security Council will approach constructively the humanitarian draft resolution on Syria submitted by Moscow, the Russia Foreign Ministry said.
"Taking into account the disposition of a number of countries in the UN Security Council, Russia has decided to express its point of view on the situation in the sphere by submitting its humanitarian draft resolution. This document is based on main statutes of the statement on Syria by the UN Security Council chairman of October 2, 2013 passed unanimously. We hope that partners will show constructive approach when considering our draft," the Russian Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department said in a statement on Thursday.
A group of UN Security Council members have recently submitted a humanitarian draft resolution on Syria for the consideration of the Security Council.
"The document submitted essentially lays all the blame on the Syrian authorities for the serious humanitarian situation of civilians in Syria. It does not take into account numerous cases of violations of the international humanitarian law by the opposition. Besides this, the draft contains a threat of introducing sanctions against Damascus in case it does not implement the provisions of the resolution," the statement said.
"Russia has said repeatedly that it sees no need to pass a UN Security Council resolution on the humanitarian issues at the current stage. All issues related to the humanitarian sector should be resolved by humanitarian agencies in cooperation with the Syrian government and, when necessary, with the armed opposition, including with using the format of bilateral talks in Geneva between the Syrian parties, the second round of which began on February 10," the document said.
Russia has submitted its own UN Security Council draft resolution dedicated to the humanitarian situation in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.
"We have presented our own document, and it deals with the same problem as the draft resolution submitted by Luxembourg, Australia and Jordan," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow in reply to a question from Interfax on Thursday.
"The humanitarian crisis is among the most pressing problems in light of everything that is going on in Syria," he said.
"We prefer to rely on concrete deeds rather than words, which are fanning emotions over this problem," Lavrov said.
"The fomenting of rhetoric cannot replace practical steps on the ground," Lavrov said.