Russia says ‘premature’ for new UN action on Syria

Russia said on Wednesday it was “premature” for the UN Security Council to take new action on Syria after the massacre of 108 civilians in the city of Houla.

“We believe that a review now by the Security Council of any new measures on the situation would be premature,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the Interfax news agency.

Gatilov’s comments came a day after the US State Department said it hoped the Houla tragedy would spark a “turning point” in Russia’s reluctance to take tougher action against its Soviet-era ally.

Russia and China had previously blocked two Security Council resolutions condemning President Bashar al-Assad.

But Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Russia was not a supporter of the Assad government and put the blame for the Houla attack on his troops.

Gatilov however appeared to be reverting back to a firmer position by noting that Russia had always opposed foreign intervention in internal conflicts.

“We have always said that we are categorically against any outside interference in the Syrian conflict because this will only exacerbate the situation for both Syria and the region as a whole,” Gatilov said.