NEW YORK (UN). March 1 (Interfax) - Western countries are burning the bridges for dialogue on Venezuela, and have "killed" the Russian draft resolution regarding this country, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.
"Whether to hold elections or not - this should be decided by the Venezuelans. Do not decide for them. Dialogue - this is what matters, whereas you prefer to burn bridges, both literally and figuratively," Nebenzya said at the UN Security Council's meeting on Venezuela.
The Russian draft resolution on Venezuela has been "killed" by the United States and its partners, he said.
"This has been done on purpose, and this is why you undermine the council's unity," he said.
"Today's vote is a vivid example of why there is the veto right. Veto is needed to protect peace and the right of peoples to be masters of their fate," Nebenzya said.
"Washington and London have again robbed an entire nation of billions of dollars. Now they enforce handouts and demand a regime change in return," he said.
"You first create immense humanitarian problems, then urge the world to solve them," he said.
Russia was forced to use the veto right regarding the U.S. draft resolution on Venezuela, he said.
"We were forced to use the veto right, because the US draft does not aim at solving Venezuela's problems," he said.
The Russian draft "could have helped the Venezuelans solve their problems on their own," he said.
Attempts to import U.S. humanitarian aid to Venezuela were undertaken on February 23 on the opposition's initiative, but without Caracas' consent. The situation was particularly tense at the time in the vicinity of bridges on Venezuela's border with Colombia.