The Security Council has held informal consultations on an amended Russian-backed draft resolution on Syria.
The resolution is in competition with a Western-backed resolution submitted by Britain last week.
Western diplomats outside the council have called the Russian draft "inadequate" and said they remained "open" to negotiating with Russia on the British resolution.
Russia's latest resolution strengthens some language from the draft submitted last week, but does not call for sanctions, which Western diplomats have called a "red line" they will not back down on.
Russia has pledged to veto any resolution which threatens sanctions.
The council has scheduled a vote for July 18, and has to pass a resolution before July 20, when the mandate of the UN observer mission in Syria expires.
The resolution is in competition with a Western-backed resolution submitted by Britain last week.
Western diplomats outside the council have called the Russian draft "inadequate" and said they remained "open" to negotiating with Russia on the British resolution.
Russia's latest resolution strengthens some language from the draft submitted last week, but does not call for sanctions, which Western diplomats have called a "red line" they will not back down on.
Russia has pledged to veto any resolution which threatens sanctions.
The council has scheduled a vote for July 18, and has to pass a resolution before July 20, when the mandate of the UN observer mission in Syria expires.
