Russia is under intense pressure from Western and Arab countries to stop protecting the government in Syria and instead to allow the UN Security Council to pass a resolution condemning the escalating violence in the country.

With thousands already known to have been killed, the draft resolution also supports an Arab League plan under which the Syrian President Bashar al Assad would resign and hand power to a transitional government.

But so far Russia appears to be standing firm in its support of Damascus.

World Affairs Correspondent Richard Galpin reports.

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