One of the more curious consequences to result from the violence in Syria has been the spectacle of the 193-member UN General Assembly denouncing the Security Council for its inaction. On 3 August, the assembly passed by 133 votes to 12 with 31 abstentions a resolution drafted by Saudi Arabia which expressed "grave concern" at the escalation of violence in Syria and deplored "the failure of the Security Council to agree on measures to ensure the compliance of Syrian authorities with its decisions." Since General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, the move is likely to have little practical effect other than to irritate the Russians, whose UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin declared that the resolution "hides blatant support to the armed opposition."