China supports AL framework for solving Syria crisis: FM

China supports the crisis in Syria being solved under the Arab League's framework and would like to participate in the consultation based on the UN draft resolution proposed by Russia amid a deep divide among the UN's veto-wielding permanent members.

"China praises Russia's constructive effort to solve the Syria crisis, and we would like to continue consultation based on Russia's draft," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said on Wednesday at a regular news briefing.

Russia circulated a revised UN Security Council resolution on Syria on Monday, after its mid-December draft resolution was welcomed by Western diplomats in a potentially positive sign. That draft called on all parties to stop the violence and cited the "disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities". Since then, the US and its European allies have submitted a series of amendments to the draft.

But the draft resolution sent to the 15 council nations on Monday was criticized by Western diplomats, who said it did not appear to be a compromise.

The text of the draft was still a secret, but Western diplomats said it attributed violence equally to the Syrian government and opposition, a statement the West could not accept.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would reject any use of sanctions or the deployment of troops.

"For us, the red line is fairly clearly drawn. We will not support any sanctions," Lavrov told reporters on Wednesday.

Both Russia and Syria rejected the proposal by Qatar to deploy Arab League peacekeepers to Syria. Qatar, an ally of the West, is also a member of the Arab League.

Syria is ready to accept a one-month extension of its mandate, which expires on Thursday, an Arab League source was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Questions:

1. Who proposed the UN draft resolution?

2. When did they circulate the revised version?

3. How many council nations was it sent to?

Answers:

1. Russia

2. Monday

3. 15