Hundreds of Syrians flocked a main square in the capital Damascus Sunday to voice support for President Bashar al-Assad, a day after the United Nations Security Council vetoed a draft resolution on Syria.

The demonstrators, waving the Syrian national flags, gathered at the Saba'a Bahrat square in the heart of Damascus and chanted slogans such as "with soul and blood we sacrifice ourselves for you Bashar."

One of the protesters giving his name as Sahar Ibrahim said that "we want our country to be strong... We don't want any foreign meddling in our country's affairs."

Agreeing with Ibrahim, another supporter, Majd Abdul-Salam, said that "we want to say that the Syrian people can solve their problems on their own and we reject any foreign intervention."

Russia and China on Saturday vetoed a UN draft resolution on Syria. It was the second time since October 2011 that the two permanent members of the UN Security Council used a double veto to block a UN draft resolution on the Middle Eastern nation.

The draft urged efforts to "facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, plural political system... including through commencing a serious political dialogue between the Syrian government and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition."

It also said the Security Council "fully supports" the Jan. 22 Arab League (AL) plan demanding al-Assad step down, one of the major stumbling blocks in the council's pre-vote consultations.

Despite a series of minor revisions to the draft made by its cosponsors, including some Arab states and the United States, Britain and France, the bulk of the position remained intact.

Observers said if the draft were adopted, the likely scenario would be a "regime change" in Syria.

George Gabbour, a political analyst in Syria, deemed the veto as "a new invitation for all Syrian parties to embark on a dialogue, which is the best solution to the current crisis."

"Those who reject the dialogue want nothing but more violence and bloodshed," he added.

Taleb Ibrahim, a political analyst, said the double veto would usher in a new balance of global power. "The UN will no longer be a tool in the hands of the United States and its allies to pass their military schemes," he said.

He said the veto would be conducive in restoring peace and stability in Syria and would also save the lives of Syrians.

Back in the street, another protestor only giving his name as Amir said that "I do not believe violent means can bring real freedom and democracy... Only reform would do the trick, which al- Assad intends to do, but he was deprived of such a chance in the face of spiraling conflicts."

Amir, owner of a clothes shop in southern Damascus, said he had never participated or seen an anti-government protest in the capital despite the more than 10 months of unrest in the country.

"At the current stage, protests and violence might create chaos, jeopardizing the already worsening economy," he said.