DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — Last week, New Zealand, backed by Egypt and Spain, introduced a draft resolution on Syria to the Security Council calling for at least a seven-day halt to all military action in the city of Aleppo. Before the vote, Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin warned that Moscow believes that the draft needed more work and would block it from passing.
On Monday, Russia and China vetoed the draft resolution, Venezuela also voted against it, while Angola abstained.
"Syria expresses its gratitude to the Russian Federation and China for the use of veto on a draft resolution declaring a truce but not envisaging the withdrawal of militants from Eastern Aleppo. [Such a truce] will allow the terrorists to regroup and continue committing crimes," the ministry said in a statement obtained by RIA Novosti.
The ministry also said that Damascus intended to boost assistance to citizens suffered from the actions of militants, stressing that elimination of terrorism was "the only way to alleviate suffering of innocent civilians and provide them with a dignified life in security and stability."
