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PARIS, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Russia's draft U.N. SecurityCouncil resolution on Syria is unacceptable to France in itscurrent form, but Moscow's recognition that the body must reactto the bloodshed is a positive step, France's Foreign Ministrysaid on Friday.
Russia unexpectedly presented a new, beefed-up draftresolution on the violence in Syria to the security council onThursday. Western envoys said the text was too weak even thoughit expanded and toughened previous Russian drafts.
Both Russia and China vetoed a European draft resolution inOctober that contained a threat of sanctions.
"For France, it is a positive development that Russia hasdecided to recognise that the serious deterioration of thesituation in Syria merits a Security Council resolution," FrenchForeign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told a news briefing.
The U.N. human rights chief said on Monday the death toll inSyria's nine-month crackdown on protesters against PresidenitBashar al-Assad now exceeded 5,000. Navi Pillay also urged thecouncil to refer the case to the International Criminal Court.
Describing the blockage in the security council asscandalous, Valero said the U.N. should quickly adopt aresolution condemning crimes against humanity in Syria andsupporting a credible, political solution.
"It (France) is ready to work with all of its partners, butit underlines that the Russian text has elements that are notacceptable in their current form," Valero said. "It's inparticular unacceptable to put the Syrian regime's repression onthe same level as the Syrian people's resistance."
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on ThursdayRussia did not believe both sides in Syria were equallyresponsible for the bloodshed and noted that the new draftcalled on both sides to halt the violence.
Valero said the Russian text was a basis for negotiations ona resolution, although much had to be ironed out.
"Obviously, if a text puts the repression of the Damascusregime, which has caused more than 5,000 deaths, on the samelevel of people protesting in the streets there is a lot of workto do," he said.
"Secondly, what is important to us is the condemnation ofthe crimes against humanity," Valero said, adding that aresolution should seek international support for ending theviolence and finding a political solution to the crisis.
France's ambassador to the United Nations also criticisedthe Russian draft.
"The Russians who vetoed our Oct. 4 resolution felt theirblind defense of Assad's regime couldn't last any longer," saidthe envoy, Gerard Araud, in an interview to appear in Saturday'sLe Parisien newspaper.
"They therefore ceded, and presented a draft. Frankly, it'stotally unacceptable." (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by Geert De Clercq andAlistair Lyon)