Syrian opposition calls for introduction of UN peacekeepers

PanARMENIAN.Net - A leading Syrian opposition group called for the introduction of U.N. peacekeepers in Syria Tuesday after talks with Russian government officials, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

Syrian National Council chairman Burhan Ghalioun also urged Russia to demand Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's resignation, according to Interfax, after meeting with officials at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Ghalioun, in a news conference held at Interfax's Moscow office, said that he was not asking for military intervention but rather "blue helmet" peacekeepers from the United Nations.

Russia has not changed its position on Syria's political crisis, Ghalioun said, giving Syria a sense of protection from international criticism, Interfax reported. Russia has previously accused the West of inciting opposition to the Syrian government.

Nonetheless, Ghalioun said both sides saw their talks in Moscow as "very positive," and that they had agreed to continue talking, the news agency said. The opposition group does not intend to talk to al-Assad or his family, however, Ghalioun was quoted as saying.

Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement that it was calling on all Syrian opposition groups to renounce violence and settle the crisis through peaceful dialogue with the Syrian government. The foreign ministry had informed the Syrian National Council activists of the "unacceptability of outside military intervention in Syrian affairs," the statement said.

The talks in Moscow come as pressure mounts on al-Assad over his government's military crackdown on opposition protests, and amid concerns the violence may escalate further.

Overnight Tuesday, Syrian government forces and anti-Assad militants fought in the darkness of the early hours in two towns south of the capital, Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in a statement.

"Witnesses said heavy guns are used after four large explosions were heard at a military center that lies between Sanamein and Inkhel," the statement read.

The battle has taken a toll on life and limb, said the observatory, which reported one death so far, as well as eyewitness reports of "heavy gunfire" in other Syrian towns.

The talks in Russia came a day after Jordan's King Abdullah said that he would step down if he were Bashar al-Assad, a statement observers interpreted as a call for the Syrian president to do just that.

"If Bashar has the interests of his country, he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life," Abdullah told the BBC.

In Amman, Jordan, about 300 people assembled spontaneously after midnight Tuesday in front of the Syrian embassy in support of King Abdallah's statement, one of the protesters said.

Many who gathered were Syrians living in Jordan, said protester Obaydah Amer.

A few hours after the Jordanian king's statement, Petra, the state-run news agency, said Abdullah's remarks "were not a direct call for the Syrian president to step down but he was, rather, responding to a question on what can a person in his position do."

Al-Assad's position has appeared to weaken in recent days, with the Arab League's decision Saturday to suspend Syria's membership seen as a blow to the regime.

The league also called for unspecified sanctions against Syria and called on member states to withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus, a decision that will be left up to each nation.

The punitive measures came after al-Assad's failure to abide by an Arab League proposal earlier this month to halt all violence, release detainees, withdraw armed elements from populated areas and allow unfettered access to the nation by journalists and Arab League monitors.

Syria's suspension from the league, which was welcomed by the Syrian National Council, is due to come into effect Wednesday.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, quoted by the state-run SANA news agency, said the Arab League's move was a "very dangerous step."

Large pro-government demonstrations have also been held in the region by al-Assad supporters, CNN reported.