Merkel: "Very regretful" China, Russia blocking U.N. moves on Syria

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she considered it "very regrettable" that not all countries on the United Nations Security Council did not share the political convictions of Europe, the United States and some Arab countries over Syria.

"I always mention this in talks with the Chinese leadership and the Russian President. The humanitarian situation is desperate.. Unfortunately the U.N. Security Council has not been able to act, and I hope that the envoy will have more success than his predecessor," Merkel told a news conference on Monday.

Russia and China, both permanent U.N. Security Council members, have blocked Western efforts to have the council censure Syria's Assad regime.

(Reporting by Stephen Brown and Noah Barkin)