(Near verbatim transcript of remarks ahead of a Security Council meeting on Syria)

[Q. on the recent bombings this morning]

Wittig:"Those bombings dramatically increase the pressure on the Security Council to act. Syria is sliding into chaos. We’ve  warned all along about this development. And let’s be clear - my Foreign Minister has said so – the  responsibility for the escalation of violence lies with the Assad regime.

We think it’s now more urgent than ever to ensure compliance, with the Annan Plan and with the decisions of the Security Council. We hope that Russia and China will now engage in meaningful negotiations on the resolution that we put on the table. We still hope that there can be a consensus on more forceful actions of the Security Council along the lines that we suggested."