* OIC complains about reference to its concern about Syria
* Russia hints at possible veto draft resolution
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, May 27 (Reuters) - An influential association of Islamic states has complained about a European draft resolution that asks the U.N. Security Council to condemn Syria and demanded that part of the text be deleted.
Western diplomats said the complaint from the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) highlighted the uphill battle Western powers face as they struggle to bring a divided Security Council together to criticize Damascus.
Britain, France, Germany and Portugal circulated the draft resolution to the 15-nation council this week. Veto powers Russia and China and four other nonpermanent members have voiced concerns about the draft, which rebukes Syria for its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
The OIC's U.N. envoy Ufuk Gokcen sent a letter to French U.N. Ambassador Gerard Araud complaining about the draft, which refers to an OIC press release issued on May 22.
In his May 26 letter, obtained by Reuters on Friday, Gokcen said the reference to the OIC statement, which expressed "deep concern over the escalating violence in Syria" and urged "security forces to show restraint," was misleading.
"The out-of-context reference in the draft resolution to the OIC ... press release is counterproductive and would constitute an interference in the domestic affairs of Syria as well as in the dialogue between the OIC and one of its prominent members," Gokcen said.
He asked Araud, this month's Security Council president, to delete that part of the draft and to avoid making any reference to the OIC statement in the resolution on Syria.
The European draft resolution would have the council welcome the Islamic states' expression of concern.
"The OIC obviously doesn't want to have anything to do with this resolution," a Western diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "They don't want to be too hard on (Syrian President Bashar) al-Assad in case it makes things worse."
Washington and the European Union have already imposed sanctions against Assad and other Syrian officials. But Russia has been more reticent in denouncing Assad because of a desire to reassert old Soviet-era influence in the region.
Western diplomats had expressed hope on Thursday that Russia and China would not veto the draft resolution, which could come to a vote as early as next week, but would abstain and allow it to pass. [ID:nN26122074] [ID:nN25141598]
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov hinted at a possible Russian veto when he said the draft was "untimely and damaging."
"There are no grounds to consider this issue in the U.N. Security Council," he said. "We will not even read the text."
The draft does not call for sanctions or military action against Syria but says its actions may amount to crimes against humanity. It also condemns the violation of human rights, arbitrary detentions and torture of peaceful demonstrators. (Editing by Xavier Briand)
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