European nations have dropped calls for immediate sanctions against Syria's regime in a bid to get Russian and Chinese approval of a new United Nations Security Council resolution on the Syrian conflict.
Reports say the new draft resolution -- drawn up by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal, backed by the United States -- includes the threat of future sanctions if the regime of President Bashar al-Assad does not halt military operations against civilians.
Reports quote the new draft as condemning what it calls the "grave and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities," and demands an "immediate end to all violence."
The new draft, which was expected to be discussed by the Security Council on September 28, was offered after veto-holding Security Council powers Russia and China, as well as Brazil, India and South Africa, opposed previous European and U.S. efforts to impose sanctions on the Syrian regime.
UN officials have said that more than 2,700 people, mostly civilians, have been killed during the crackdown by Syrian authorities on anti-regime protests that began in mid-March.
compiled from agency reports
