By Lara Holmes

An Arab and Western-backed resolution condemning the violent crackdown in Syria has been vetoed at the UN Security Council by Russia and China.

They rejected the draft as unbalanced hours after activists accused troops of killing at least 55 people at Homs.

Western countries said the move would encourage Syria's government to continue its violent clampdown.

The draft resolution, supported by all 13 other members of the Security Council, had adopted an Arab League call for a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, plural political system.

 

Russia said it singled out the government of President Bashar al-Assad, and did not contain measures against armed opposition groups.

 

Proposed Russian amendments to the text were described as unacceptable by the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice.

Ms Rice condemned the vetoes as shameful. It showed, she said, how Russia and China aimed to sell out the Syrian people and shield a craven tyrant.

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Russian and Chinese approach lets the Syrian people down, and will only encourage President Assad's brutal regime to increase the killing.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud said: It is a sad day for this council, a sad day for all Syrians, and a sad day for democracy.

Mohammed Loulichki, Morocco's ambassador to the UN and the sole Arab member of the current council, voiced great regret and disappointment that Moscow and Beijing had struck it down.

But Russia's Ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, insisted the draft resolution had lacked balance.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to have talks with Mr Assad in Damascus on Tuesday.

Beijing's ambassador to the UN, Li Baodong, said the resolution would have been counter-productive.

Pro-Assad residents in the Syrian capital Damascus welcomed the Sino-Russian stance.