Russia Signals Opposition to Bid for Sanctions on Assad

Russia today signaled opposition at the United Nations to a bid by the U.S. and its European allies to freeze the foreign assets of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and impose an arms embargo on his country.

“We don’t think so,” Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said when asked whether his government would support the proposed imposition of UN sanctions on Assad and 22 senior government officials. Churkin said the UN Security Council should only “work within the scope” of its Aug. 3 statement condemning use of force against civilians by Syrian authorities.