UN General Assembly to Meet on Syria

Posted July 31st, 2012 at 8:20 pm (UTC-5)
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The United Nations General Assembly is to meet Thursday to discuss a Saudi resolution expressing grave concern with the violence in Syria and condemning the Security Council's lack of action.

The draft resolution also raises alarms about the Syrian government's threat to use chemical weapons against what the Syrians call foreign invaders. It calls on President Bashar al-Assad to step down in favor of a peaceful transition to a democratic government.

There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, unlike the Security Council, where Russia and China vetoed three separate resolutions threatening Syria with sanctions for using heavy weapons against civilians.

More fighting was reported again Tuesday across Syria, including in the country's largest city, Aleppo.

Also Tuesday, Syrian opposition figures meeting in Cairo said they will begin forming a transitional government in exile.