UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia and China vetoed on Friday a Western-backed U.N. Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe for holding a violent presidential poll that was boycotted by the opposition candidate.
The RESOLUTION (RSL.LO)would have imposed an arms embargo on thesouthern African country and financial and travel restrictionson President Robert Mugabe and 13 other officials. It wouldalso have called for a U.N. special envoy for Zimbabwe to beappointed.
Nine countries voted for the U.S.-drafted resolution, five-- including veto-holding Russia and China -- opposed it andone abstained in the 15-nation council.
The result represented a failure by the Western bloc toinduce Russia and China at least to abstain because of thegravity of the crisis in Zimbabwe.
Opponents of the resolution, who also included SouthAfrica, Libya and Vietnam, argued that the situation was not athreat to international peace and security worthy of a councilresolution. They said talks in South Africa between Zimbabwe'sruling and opposition parties should be given a chance.
But British Ambassador John Sawers told the council it had"failed to shoulder its responsibility to do what it can toprevent a national tragedy deepening and spreading its effectsacross southern Africa."
Voting for the resolution were the United States, Britain,France, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Burkina Faso, Panama and CostaRica. Indonesia abstained.
(Reporting by Patrick Worsnip; Editing by Doina Chiacu)