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Russia and China vetoed a previous European resolution in October, accusing the West of seeking regime change. Diplomats in the closed Security Council meeting said Russia and China showed immediate skepticism in first discussion of the new draft.
The European nations hope opponents will be swayed by a new upsurge in violence in Syria and Arab League leadership in efforts to end the deadly crackdown on protests which the UN says has left thousands dead.
"I think we have the chance today to open a new chapter on Syria," said Germany's UN ambassador Peter Wittig as he entered Friday's talks.
"We have waited too long," added France's UN ambassador Gerard Araud. "The Security Council has not reacted. We want simply to transform the requests of the Arab League -- for the observer mission and the political solution -- into a request of the Security Council."
The draft, which still faces days of talks, says the council "fully supports" an Arab League plan released last weekend under which Assad would hand over powers to a deputy so that new elections can be held.
The text "encourages" all states to follow sanctions imposed by the Arab League against Syria in November, but contains no mandatory action.
European diplomats said they hope for a vote within days. Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani are to brief the council Tuesday about the league's Syria plan.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said in Moscow that his country would not support any measure which orders Assad to leave office, Russian media reported.
Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin struck a similar note in the Security Council, diplomats in the closed meeting told AFP.
China said there must be no copy of the Libya resolutions last year. Russia, China and others say NATO abused the UN resolutions to launch air strikes aimed at bringing down Moamer Kadhafi, the envoys added.
Britain's UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told the meeting that if the council did not back the Arab League, Syria risked erupting into a "full scale civil war," diplomats said.
But outside the chamber, South Africa's UN ambassador Baso Sangqu said he believed there was a "little bit of tint" of regime change in the new resolution.
He said doubters would seek more details of the Arab League plan from the body next week. "Obviously if there is anything that could explicitly have regime change in it then it will cause problems for some of us," Sangqu said.
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The European nations hope opponents will be swayed by a new upsurge in violence in Syria and Arab League leadership in efforts to end the deadly crackdown on protests which the UN says has left thousands dead.
"I think we have the chance today to open a new chapter on Syria," said Germany's UN ambassador Peter Wittig as he entered Friday's talks.
"We have waited too long," added France's UN ambassador Gerard Araud. "The Security Council has not reacted. We want simply to transform the requests of the Arab League -- for the observer mission and the political solution -- into a request of the Security Council."
The draft, which still faces days of talks, says the council "fully supports" an Arab League plan released last weekend under which Assad would hand over powers to a deputy so that new elections can be held.
The text "encourages" all states to follow sanctions imposed by the Arab League against Syria in November, but contains no mandatory action.
European diplomats said they hope for a vote within days. Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani are to brief the council Tuesday about the league's Syria plan.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said in Moscow that his country would not support any measure which orders Assad to leave office, Russian media reported.
Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin struck a similar note in the Security Council, diplomats in the closed meeting told AFP.
China said there must be no copy of the Libya resolutions last year. Russia, China and others say NATO abused the UN resolutions to launch air strikes aimed at bringing down Moamer Kadhafi, the envoys added.
Britain's UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told the meeting that if the council did not back the Arab League, Syria risked erupting into a "full scale civil war," diplomats said.
But outside the chamber, South Africa's UN ambassador Baso Sangqu said he believed there was a "little bit of tint" of regime change in the new resolution.
He said doubters would seek more details of the Arab League plan from the body next week. "Obviously if there is anything that could explicitly have regime change in it then it will cause problems for some of us," Sangqu said.
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