Envoy : UN delay on Syria costing lives

European powers on Monday heightened campaigning for a UN Security Council condemnation of Syria's crackdown on opposition protests with one top envoy highlighting that delays were costing hundreds of lives. But Syria's foreign minister has written to the United Nations calling a proposed European resolution an attempt to "destabilize" his country. Russia and China strongly oppose a resolution proposed by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal against President Bashar al-Asad. The Europeans, with backing from the United States, are focusing their lobbying on Brazil, South Africa and India who have also expressed strong reservations. Highlighting how negotiations have lasted two weeks, France's UN ambassador Gerard Araud told a Brazilian newspaper: "In that time 400 people, including women and children, have died, sometimes under torture. Thousands of refugees have fled Syria. "Let us be clear, Security Council inaction is not an option. Everyone must mobilize together and we are counting on Brazil. The Syrian people need the Security Council now." "It is a fierce, brutal repression for which we cannot remain a silent accomplices," Araud told Estadao da Sao Paul newspaper. "We cannot remain quiet before this tragedy which threatens the stability of an already-fragile region." Asked about Brazil's attitude to the European proposition, Araud highlighted how the government has already condemned the violence and called for political moves by Assad. "We sincerely hope that Brazil's vote will reflect this support given to the democratic aspirations of the Arab people," the ambassador added. Araud said the European resolution encouraged the Syrian authorities to launch political talks "without interference from abroad" and an end to violence. "I have trouble seeing how anyone can oppose it." The French envoy said that Brazil's reluctance to back the resolution came from disagreements over NATO air strikes in Libya. Brazil, India and South Africa say that NATO is going past UN Security Council resolutions in carrying out the strikes against Muammar Gaddafi. "It is not because we have disagreements on this dossier that we should ignore the massacres which are being carried out in Syria," said Araud. Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said in a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that the proposed Security Council resolutions against his country "constitute flagrant intervention in the internal affairs of Syria and an attempt to destabilize it." Moualem called on the Security Council not to "hastily adopt a position that will provide a cloak for the murderous, destructive gangs" which the regime has blamed for the violence. He said any resolution would "exacerbate the situation and send a message to those extremists and terrorists to the effect that the deliberate destruction that they are wreaking has the support of the Security Council." Moualem said Syria "has declared its determination both to carry out reforms and to maintain absolute national independence and sovereignty." His letter was sent to the UN leader last week.