Turkey said on Wednesday it would impose sanctions on Syria despite the blocking of any UN measures against President Bashar Al-Assad for his violent crackdown on dissent.

Russia and China handed Assad a diplomatic victory on Tuesday by vetoing a Western-backed UN resolution that would have hinted at future UN sanctions on Damascus, but Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan promised action of his own.

"Naturally the veto...cannot prevent sanctions," Erdogan said. "We will of necessity implement a package of sanctions."      
Erdogan, who is visiting South Africa, has said he will announce the package after he visits a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey in the next few days.

The double veto by Moscow and Beijing infuriated Western powers which have already imposed their own sanctions on Syria and were trying to pave the way for a UN embargo, and will reinforce Assad's hold on power -- at least in the short term.

"This is a sad day for the Syrian people. It's a sad day for the Security Council," France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said, adding that France would continue to support the "just cause" of Syrians he said were fighting for freedom.

The UN draft resolution received nine votes in favour and four abstentions. US Ambassador Susan Rice said Washington was outraged and called for "tough targeted sanctions" on Damascus.

Russia's ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow rejected the threat of sanctions on Syria and China's envoy Li Baodong said Beijing opposed "interference in (Syria's) internal affairs".

Moscow had voiced concern that the resolution could have pave the way for a Libya-style military intervention. Russia and China both want to limit Western influence in the Middle East. - Reuters