The UN Security Council may agree this week on the final draft resolution on Syria aimed at stopping the ongoing violence in the country, France’s UN Ambassador Gerard Araud said.
“We would want to see action very quickly, and if possible Friday,” Araud told journalists.
“The text we are presenting is without sanctions, which is from our point of view a very significant step, so I do hope that we reach compromise with all the members of the council,” he added.
The new draft resolution was put forward after Russia and China threatened to veto any sanctions against the Syrian authorities.
Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said the unanimous agreement on the new draft resolution is possible only if UN sticks to the main aim of stopping the violence in Syria.
“The most important is not to deviate from the main aims, which are to stop the violence and begin a political process that would lead to reformations and the situation suitable for the Syrian people,” Churkin said.
Last week, the European Union stiffened its sanctions against Syria to include a ban on investment in the country’s oil industry as well as asset freezes and travel bans for a number of senior Syrian officials. Sanctions have also been imposed on a Syrian TV network and a telecom firm over their suspected links to the government.
More than 2,700 people are estimated to have been killed across Syria since the uprising began in March.