国际英语新闻:Russian parliament urges world to avert aggression against Syria

MOSCOW, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Russian legislative body urged on Wednesday the international community to avert a military strike against Syria, warning that a strike would jeopardize stability in the region.

Attacking Syria would destroy nuclear and chemical security in the region, result in more civilian casualties and lead to a humanitarian disaster in that country, the Russian State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, said in a statement.

"In an effort to avert the disaster by all means available, the State Duma urges U.S. Congress and other countries' parliaments not to let aggressive plans be implemented and to focus on search for peaceful ways out of the Syrian internal conflicts," it said.

This was the first document adopted by the State Duma after a summer recess.

In the statement, Russian MPs noted that military operation would be qualified as a gross violation of international law and thus a crime.

Meanwhile, Russian MPs' invitation for talks over Syria in Washington was turned down by their U.S. colleagues earlier this month.

"Unwillingness to invite Russian parliamentary delegation de-facto undermines continuation of the inter-parliamentary dialogue on the entire complex of bilateral relations," the statement responded.

It also reiterated Moscow's position that the only right solution to the Syria crisis could be achieved in the framework of Geneva II conference.

The statement has been sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the government, the Syrian People Assembly and U.S. Congress, the lower house wrote in its website.