Ban regrets UN Council’s ­failure on Syria resolution

UN chief Ban Ki-moon “regrets” the Security Council’s failure to agree a resolution on Syria and believes there is a “moral obligation to prevent further bloodshed”, his spokesman said yesterday.

“The secretary general regrets that the Security Council has not been able to agree and hopes that it will overcome its divisions and find a collective way to address the situation,” spokesman Martin Nesirky said of Russia and China’s veto of a European-backed resolution on Syria. Mr Ban “believes that the violence in Syria is unacceptable and cannot continue like this and he has been calling on the international community to speak and act in a coherent manner”, the spokesman told a briefing.

“He believes we have a moral obligation to prevent further bloodshed and help the people of Syria out of this dangerous crisis.”

Russia and China vetoed a Security Council resolution late on Tuesday which would have threatened possible measures against President Bashar al-Assad’s government. Western nations have expressed anger at the veto, but Russia and China said any hint of sanctions is unacceptable.