Turkey Says Upset by Rejection of U.N. Resolution on Syria

Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Monday expressed his country's disappointment over the veto by China and Russia of a U.N. resolution on the Syrian crisis, saying that the cold war era was over.

"I'd like to say that we are upset about the vote at the United Nations," Gul told a televised news conference with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Myung-Bak.

"Everyone should remember that the cold war era is over," he added.

Russia and China, permanent members of the Security Council, Saturday blocked the U.N. resolution condemning Syria for its deadly crackdown on protests, which drew condemnation from other global powers as well as from neighboring Turkey.

"Human rights violations and the use of military force against people have no place in the world," said Gul.

The president raised concerns about the loss of life, saying that everything was going in the direction of a "worst-case scenario" in Syria, without elaborating.

The biggest favor that President Bashar Assad could do for his country and for his people would be to give up on repressive policies and adapt to the change, he added.

Turkey, once a close ally of Syria, has been at the forefront of international criticism against the Damascus regime and has also become a haven for many Syrian opposition activists.