The State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, on Friday passed a special statement to support Syria and defend Moscow's stance on the Syrian issue.

In the unanimously approved document, the Duma said Russia's position in the United Nations, particularly in the Security Council, fully reflects Moscow's policy which calls for a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis through intra-Syrian dialogue.

Russia considers it "highly important" for the Security Council not to support one side of the conflict, the statement said.

"Imbalanced approaches, contained in the latest U.N. draft resolution, would undermine the chances for reaching equal and constructive dialogue," the document said, adding that scenarios tabled by some Western and Arab countries put completely different objectives for the international community.

These scenarios only produce ultimate demands to one side and portrait the regime change as an unconditional prerequisite for the settlement in Syria, the statement added.

The Duma urged both sides in Syria to refuse the use of forces and immediately start designing mutually acceptable decisions based on constructive dialogue.

Russia and China last week vetoed a Arab-European draft resolution that backed an Arab League plan to promote a "regime change" in Syria.

Russia said the draft contained an imposition of conditions on the dialogue and called for measures to influence not only the government but also armed groups.