Russia would veto a draft United Nations Security Council calling for Syria to be hauled before the International Criminal Court, AFP cited deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov said Tuesday, May 20th.
“The draft resolution that is currently submitted to the Security Council for us is unacceptable and we will not support it. If it is put to a vote, we will veto it,” Gatilov told the Interfax news agency.
Russia was already widely expected to veto the measure along with China as they have vetoed three previous Western resolutions since the start of the Syrian crisis three years ago.
Gatilov said that Russia opposes Syria going before the International Criminal Court “since we consider that this is counterproductive in the current situation.”
Russia is a long-term ally of Syria and has backed the regime of President Bashir al-Assad throughout the conflict.