New EU call

Britain and France last night presented a revised resolution to the United Nations Security Council condemning Syria for its crackdown on peaceful protesters.

UN diplomats in New York said the new text is aimed at winning more support for the resolution in the Security Council and avoiding a Russian veto.

Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons yesterday that the two nations object to the actions of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government and would be offering the new resolution "condemning the repression and demanding accountability and humanitarian action".

"If anyone votes against that resolution or tries to veto it, that should be on their conscience," he said.

"If all goes hunky dory, we might have a resolution by the end of the week," said one council diplomat who supports the resolution.

The original draft resolution demands that Syria takes immediate steps "to address the legitimate aspirations of the population", allows genuine political participation, releases all prisoners of conscience and detainees, "and ceases any intimidation, persecution, torture and arbitrary arrests of individuals".

It calls on all countries "to exercise vigilance and prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the Syrian authorities of arms".