UNITED NATIONS—Russia said Wednesday it opposes a new U.N.
Security Council resolution on the humanitarian plight in Syria,
an announcement that is likely to torpedo a Western and Arab-
backed draft that would pressure the government and opposition
to allow desperately needed aid into the country.  Russia's U.N.
Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told a press briefing that "hard,
pragmatic and purposeful work is necessary" to resolve specific
humanitarian issues—not a council resolution which will almost
certainly aim "to politicize the problem."  Council diplomats
said they expect to circulate a draft humanitarian resolution
this week, following the failure of peace talks between the
Syrian government and opposition to achieve any concrete
results, especially on possible humanitarian aid convoys to
besieged parts of the city of Homs.  "We are against moving to a
resolution now in the Security Council," Churkin told reporters
at Russia's U.N. Mission. "We believe that it's a wrong move.
It's not a good time to have any