Russia proposes sending UN envoy to Syria on Twitter

MOSCOW – Russia says the United Nations should send a special envoy to Syria to help coordinate security issues and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Twitter Tuesday that it's proposing that the U.N. Security Council ask the U.N. Secretary General to send the envoy.

On Monday Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the world body should help solve humanitarian issues in Syria, after Damascus allowed the Red Cross to bring humanitarian aid to some regions.

Russia and China have vetoed two Security Council resolutions backing Arab League plans aimed at ending the conflict and condemning President Bashar Assad's crackdown on protests that killed 5,400 in 2011 alone, according to the U.N. Hundreds more have been killed since, activist groups say.