THE UNITED NATIONS’ Security Council has failed to agree on a statement condemning the Syrian government for its violent crackdown on anti-presidential protesters.

While Britain and France – both of which are permanent members of the 15-member bloc – and Portugal and Germany had all agreed to a draft statement scolding Syria for its actions, the move was blocked by Russia which claimed that the actions did not pose a threat to global piace.

France had called for “strong measures” against Syria if its president Bashar Assad failed to end the violence, while the United States had said Assad had an obligation to “change course now and heed the calls of his own people”, Al Jazeera reports.

India and China, meanwhile, had called for political dialogue and hoped for a peaceful oonclusion, though the BBC adds that it stopped short of condemning the violence outright.

Russia – a Syrian ally – was not moved, with its deputy ambassador to the UN saying outside interference would pose a bigger threat to the region that the current internal battles.

Syria’s own ambassador to the UN welcomed the council’s stalemate, and said there was no need for a UN commission to take action in the region.

The failure to agree even as much as a press statement has dealt a major blow to the hopes of the EU and United States that an international coalition could be persuaded to take action.

Around 450 people are thought to have been killed in Syria since the wave of African and Middle Eastern anti-government protests reached the country six weeks ago.