BICOM

The United States and France have proposed an international coalition to support Syria’s opposition after Russia and China blocked a Security Council resolution to end nearly 11 months of bloodshed. The vote comes a day after oppositions sources say Syrian forces bombarded the city of Homs, killing more than 200 people in one of the worst attacks on opposition strongholds.

“France is not giving up,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy said late Saturday, adding he was in contact with Arab and European partners to create a “Friends of the Syrian People Group” that would marshal international support for the implementation of the Arab League plan. Sarkozy did not give further details on the initiative, but last year he set up a Libya contact group to create a political roadmap backed by international players as part of efforts to oust Muammar Gaddafi.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday sharply criticised China and Russia saying, “what happened…at the United Nations was a travesty. Those countries that refused to support the Arab League plan bear full responsibility for protecting the brutal machine in Damascus.” She added: “Faced with a neutered Security Council, we have to redouble our efforts outside of the United Nations with those allies and partners who support the Syrian people’s right to have a better future.”

Russia, in its part, on Saturday said the resolution was biased, particularly opposing any restrictions on military action against civilians by the Assad regime. Moscow is allied with Syria, which also hosts a Russian naval base. Russia is also the chief supplier of weapons to the Syrian army. China’s veto was widely seen as following Russia’s lead.

More than 5,400 people have been killed since March, according to the UN.