Russia's U.N. ambassador is rejecting a draft U.N. resolution on Syria proposed by the United States, Britain and France, calling it "untimely" and "unnecessary."
Vassily Nebenzia dismissed the attempt by the three Western allies who attacked alleged Syrian chemical sites to push for Security Council approval of a resolution calling for a political solution to Syria's seven-year conflict, for a new body to assess blame for chemical attacks and for humanitarian access.
Nebenzia said Tuesday there is no need for a new independent body to determine responsibility for chemical attacks because "they attributed the guilt, and they already punished the culprits."
He says Russian envoys were present when Security Council experts discussed the Western draft Monday "just to hear, but we said really this effort now is untimely."
