Russia asked the UN to rethink its rejection of Vladimir Putin’s offer of Russian troops to replace the 377-strong Austrian contingent which is being withdrawn from the Golan UN ceasefire force. The UN spokesman said the 1974 Israeli-Syrian disengagement accord barred the five permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council, including Russia, from taking part in the force. Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters the Golan force is in dire straits. "Obviously we are aware of that document but we believe that times have changed," Churkin told reporters as he entered emergency UN Security Council talks on the UN force.