Russia opposes the proposed U.N. Security Council resolution against Syria, said Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, on Tuesday. A Russian news agency quoted Lavrov as saying that Russia firmly believes the Security Council should rely first and foremost on the principles of reconciliation and the role of neighboring countries. He pointed out that the adoption of new decisions may reflect the position of one of the parties to internal rivalries, which constitutes a flagrant contradiction of the principles of the United Nations. Lavrov also expressed his country's concern about the situation in Bahrain. The resolution against Syria was proposed by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. He justified the proposal by saying that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lost its legitimacy. Juppe warned that if Russia used its veto or objected to the resolution it would be held responsible for the possible consequences in Syria.