Germany, France and the UK have tabled a UN resolution calling for an end to human rights violations¹ in Syria.

德国、法国和英国提出一项联合国决议，号召叙利亚停止侵犯人权行为。

The resolution, which also calls for the implementation² of an Arab League plan to end the violence, was also backed by four Arab countries.

With the UN Security Council divided on Syria, the resolution has been tabled in a committee of the General Assembly.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Syrian violence was becoming "similar to civil war".

He was speaking a day after renegade（叛徒的） soldiers were reported to have attacked a key government army base outside Damascus.

The BBC's Barbara Plett, at the UN in New York, says that with Russia and China having vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning⁴ government violence in Syria, European nations are looking for a new route to condemn³ the Syrian government.

They have turned to a key committee of the General Assembly where there are no vetoes.

The fact that Thursday's move was backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Morocco is significant, our correspondent says.

Western diplomats⁵ hope that a leading Arab role will eventually help overcome opposition⁶ in the Security Council, because requests from the region where the conflict is taking place strongly influence the positions of members, our correspondent says.

Germany, France and the UK circulated the draft resolution to the General Assembly's human rights committee and Western diplomats said they hope it will be put to a vote next Tuesday.

If approved, it is virtually certain to be adopted by the 193-member General Assembly.

On Wednesday the Arab League - which has suspended Syria - gave Damascus three days to end "bloody⁷ repression⁸" and allow in teams of international monitors.

It has threatened Syria with sanctions（制裁，处罚） if it does not co-operate.