France blasts Russia for vetoing UN resolution over Syria
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PARIS: France on Wednesday blasted Russia's vetoing of a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into a suspected chemical attack.
"Russia bears a heavy responsibility through its systematic opposition -- in order to protect its ally Assad -- to a multilateral response to the issue of Syria," the office of French President Francois Hollande said in a statement.
The resolution "was designed to allow a rapid, thorough inquiry by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to establish responsibility for the chemical attacks on April 4 in Idlib province", the statement said.
Russia's veto was the eighth time it had chosen to oppose a majority of the (UN Security) Council in this way, it added.
"Only the coming together of the international community in favour of a political transition in Syria will allow this martyred country to find peace, stability and sovereignty again.
"France will continue to mobilise in this way." (APP)
