Russia and China Oppose Foreign Intervention in Syria

With Russian president Vladimir Putin visiting China in a warm renewal of relations between the old Cold War partners, both Russia and China have announced that they oppose all foreign intervention in Syria. Meanwhile, Syria threw U.S. and European diplomats out of the country.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said that any regime change via military action as unacceptable to the two countries. Instead, they want “political dialogue.”

As violence in Syria escalates between rebels and government forces, the United Nations plans to up its humanitarian aid; Kofi Annan is scheduled to brief the UN Security Council Thursday, and hold a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday. But with both Russia and China sitting on the Security Council, the likelihood grows every day that Syrian dictator Bashar Assad will indeed remain in power.