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Russia 'supports Annan unity government plan for Syria' Russia 'supports Annan unity government plan for Syria'
(about 1 hour later)
Russia and other big powers have agreed to back a proposal by UN envoy Kofi Annan for a national unity government to lead political change in Syria.Russia and other big powers have agreed to back a proposal by UN envoy Kofi Annan for a national unity government to lead political change in Syria.
Western diplomats said the proposed cabinet could include members of the opposition and government, but no-one who would undermine its credibility. Western diplomats say the proposed cabinet could include members of the opposition and government, but no-one who would undermine its credibility.
The proposal will be discussed at a meeting of the UN Action Group on Syria on Saturday. While they see President Bashar al-Assad as excluded from the plan, it is not clear if Russia shares that view.
President Bashar al-Assad has said Syria is in a "real state of war". The idea will be discussed on Saturday by the UN Action Group on Syria.
According to an unnamed diplomat quoted by Reuters, Mr Annan made clear that any settlement should also be irreversible, with clear transition steps and a fixed timeline.According to an unnamed diplomat quoted by Reuters, Mr Annan made clear that any settlement should also be irreversible, with clear transition steps and a fixed timeline.
"These include establishing a transitional national unity government to create a neutral backdrop for transition," the diplomat said."These include establishing a transitional national unity government to create a neutral backdrop for transition," the diplomat said.
"It could comprise present government members, opposition and others, but would need to exclude those whose continued participation or presence would jeopardise the transition's credibility, or harm prospects for reconciliation and stability.""It could comprise present government members, opposition and others, but would need to exclude those whose continued participation or presence would jeopardise the transition's credibility, or harm prospects for reconciliation and stability."
'Turning point''Turning point'
The BBC's Barbara Plett, in New York, says that the implication is that Mr Assad would not form part of the government, although this has not been made explicit.The BBC's Barbara Plett, in New York, says that the implication is that Mr Assad would not form part of the government, although this has not been made explicit.
It is not yet clear either, she adds, whether Russia shares the Western interpretation that Mr Annan's plan would exclude the Syrian president. Russia has resisted pressure to remove President Assad, saying that his future should be left to the Syrian people alone, and not imposed by outside powers.
In April, following months of bloodshed, the Syrian government agreed to a six-point peace plan.In April, following months of bloodshed, the Syrian government agreed to a six-point peace plan.
UN monitors were deployed to oversee a ceasefire but the truce never took hold and the monitors have suspended patrols.UN monitors were deployed to oversee a ceasefire but the truce never took hold and the monitors have suspended patrols.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will attend Saturday's meeting, said that if all the parties agreed to Mr Annan's roadmap for political transition then there was "great hope that this perhaps can be a turning point in the very tragic circumstances affecting the Syrian people".US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will attend Saturday's meeting, said that if all the parties agreed to Mr Annan's roadmap for political transition then there was "great hope that this perhaps can be a turning point in the very tragic circumstances affecting the Syrian people".
The proposal, which will be discussed in Geneva between five permanent members of the Security Council as well as regional powers Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar, comes as violence continues in Syria. The proposal will be discussed in Geneva by the five permanent members of the Security Council as well as regional powers Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar.
On Wednesday, at least seven people were killed during an attack on a pro-regime television station south of Damascus. Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow was "looking forward to intensive interaction among the foreign ministers" to push for an end to fighting and a start to political talks.
The headquarters of al-Ikhbariya TV, some 20km (13 miles) south of the capital, were destroyed in the attack. Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoebi said some of the victims had been abducted, bound, and killed in cold blood. Our correspondent says that a political transition plan cannot be implemented as long as the violence continues.
The Ikhbariya attack followed fierce clashes in suburbs of the capital, Damascus, described by opposition activists as the worst there so far. On Wednesday, at least seven people were killed during an attack on pro-regime satellite channel al-Ikhbariya TV south of Damascus.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighting had taken place near positions of the Republican Guard, which is led by President Assad's younger brother Maher and has the role of protecting the capital. Violence was also reported by opposition activists in the central city of Homs, Deir al-Zour in the east and in Idlib in the north.
The Observatory also reported violence on Wednesday in the central city of Homs, Deir al-Zour in the east and in Idlib in the north. Clashes in suburbs of Damascus on Tuesday were described by activists as the worst there so far.
Mr Annan's deputy envoy, Jean-Marie Guehenno, warned the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday that "time was running out". President Assad has described his country as in a "real state of war from all angles" and, on Wednesday, Mr Annan's deputy envoy, Jean-Marie Guehenno, said that the violence "had reached or even surpassed" the levels seen in April when the ceasefire plan was agreed.
He was speaking shortly before a commission of inquiry gave details of its report on the one of the worst attacks on civilians since the conflict began - the 25 May Houla massacre in which 108 people died.
Commission chairman Paulo Pinheiro told the council that "forces loyal to the government may have been responsible for many of the deaths" but he said his team had been unable to determine who was behind the massacre.
Mr Pinheiro said the perpetrators were from one of three groups: "shabiha" or other local militia from neighbouring villages, perhaps acting with the army; anti-government armoured groups; or foreign groups.
"While the commission could not rule out the possibility of anti-government fighters being responsible for the killing, this was considered very much unlikely," he said.
Syrian ambassador Faisal Khabbaz Hamoui condemned the meeting as "flagrantly political" and walked out of the hall.
'Holding firm'
Senior US intelligence officials have described the conflict between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the government as a "seesaw battle", suggesting that it is likely to be a long, drawn-out struggle.
"The regime inner circle and those at the next level still seem to be holding fairly firm in support of the regime and Assad," one official told Reuters.
The BBC's Ian Pannell, who has spent the past two weeks with rebel groups in Idlib province, says that over the past two months there have been marked changes, with the rebels clearly getting weapons across the border and from the Syrian military.
The rebels are becoming more organised and are going on the offensive, he says, and are controlling large swathes of northern areas.
The UN says at least 10,000 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests began in March 2011. In June, the Syrian government reported that 6,947 Syrians had died, including at least 3,211 civilians and 2,566 security forces personnel.The UN says at least 10,000 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests began in March 2011. In June, the Syrian government reported that 6,947 Syrians had died, including at least 3,211 civilians and 2,566 security forces personnel.
Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family there? What is your experience of the unrest in the country? You can send us your experiences using the form below.Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family there? What is your experience of the unrest in the country? You can send us your experiences using the form below.