EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton listens to a question during a news conference. (Photo: AP)
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Friday she regretted the defeat of yet another UN resolution to sanction Syria amid escalating violence in the country.
"I deeply regret that, despite the serious deterioration of the situation in Syria, the members of the UN Security Council could not agree on a resolution to add more effective and robust pressure to end the violence in Syria and allow for a peaceful settlement of the conflict," Ashton said in a statement.
On Thursday, Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria for the third time, sparking outrage by the Western nations calling for sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad.
More than 17,000 people have been killed since an uprising against Assad began 16 months ago, activists say. The 15-nation Security Council faces growing criticism over its failure to take action.
"I will continue supporting Kofi Annan and his plan as the best solution to resolve the situation in Syria and I urge all the parties to support Kofi Annan's efforts in this respect," Ashton said.
"After 16 months of continuous violence, it is of the utmost priority that the international community acts with unity to prevent a civil war with tragic consequences for the entire region," she added.
The sanctions proposal was added to a resolution on renewing the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), whose 90-day mandate ends on Friday.
Without a resolution, the UN may have to hurriedly withdraw the nearly 300 unarmed observers now in Damascus. The Security Council is now scrambling to agree on a simple rollover resolution on UNSMIS that could be voted Friday.
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