UNITED NATIONS - Russia has blocked a proposed UN Security Council statement on mass killings in the Syrian village of Treimsa, diplomats say, amid worsening deadlock over international action on the conflict.
Russian envoys have opposed the statement, saying it is not clear what happened in Treimsa, council diplomats say.
A draft statement has been proposed saying Thursday's attack on the village was a Syrian government "violation" of its commitments to UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan not to use heavy weapons.
Dozens of people were killed in Treimsa by President Bashar al-Assad's troops and pro-government militias, according to Syrian activists. The government has denied involvement.
Russia on Monday called for Major General Robert Mood, the head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), to brief the council on the killings.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said UNSMIS was still trying to check the facts of what happened in Treimsa, but added it was "quite apparent that something terrible happened there and that heavy weaponry was used".
Western diplomats said they would now probably stop pressing for the statement so the 15-nation council can concentrate on negotiating a formal resolution on the future of the UN mission in Syria, which has to be agreed by Friday.
"I don't think there is going be any press communique," said Colombia's UN ambassador Nestor Osorio, the council president for July.