Russia has dismissed as "populist" a French proposal to limit the use of the veto at the UN Security Council and said it would oppose it.
France has launched an initiative to persuade the other four Security Council permanent members -- Britain, China, Russia and the United States -- to refrain from using their veto when action is required to address a mass atrocity.
"We are against it," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters on September 2. "We think this is not a workable proposition."
In July, Russia blocked two resolutions with its veto, one that would have declared the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia to be a genocide and another on setting up a tribunal to try those responsible for the downing of Flight MH17 over Ukraine.
France's idea has been welcomed by some 70 non-veto wielding member-states at the United Nations. China and the United States, however, have also expressed reservations.