Syria sanctions threat divides UN

The uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began in mid-March. Photo / AP

Divisions over whether to threaten sanctions against Syria for the government's deadly crackdown have held up UN Security Council discussions on a resolution.

European nations and Russia have proposed rival resolutions on Syria, where more than 2,700 people have died in the past seven months, according to the United Nations.

Britain, France, Germany and Portugal insist that any resolution must include at least the threat of sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad.

"There are still divergences. We want to keep the essential message in the resolution: that is if repression and violence doesn't stop there will be further measures," Germany's UN ambassador Peter Wittig told reporters after the latest talks.

Russia opposes any mention of sanctions in the text.

"And we are not the only ones in this position," said Vitaly Churkin, Russia's UN ambassador after the latest talks.

The Europeans had originally drawn up a text which set out firm sanctions against Assad.

Russia and China have threatened to use their veto power, as permanent members of the council, against any resolution with punitive measures.

Among non-permanent members, India has also opposed the threat of mandatory action.

The two sides also disagree over whether violence by protesters should be given the same importance as that by the government. India's UN envoy Hardeep Singh Puri said there had to be a reference to violence by "extremist elements" in the text.

France was to draw up a new version of the European text for possible talks on Friday.

European governments have demanded urgent action by the Security Council which has so far agreed only two statements on events in Syria.

Eight human rights groups on Thursday sent their own statement to council calling for a "strong resolution" on Syria.

"After months of ongoing human rights violations that very likely amount to crimes against humanity, it is necessary for the Security Council urgently to take formal action," said the groups, who include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

- AAP